Sara Unger

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Sara Unger, age 97, of Abbotsford, British Columbia, passed away on February 10, 2023. Though her family is saddened by her death, it is not a tragedy. We are thankful that she had lived a full life, and was able to die in peace.

Sara was born on March 5, 1925, in Karassan, Crimea. A few months later, her family fled Russia to start a new life in Canada. Here Sara overcame prolonged ill health and the many challenges of immigrant life: poverty, language, education, and employment.

To know Sara was to understand that, above all, she loved Jesus. She was about five years old when she accepted Jesus as Saviour. In her own words, "I was so happy, I went outside and ran and jumped for joy." It shaped and defined her entire life.

Sara was committed to her family. She had to quit school at age 15 to look after younger siblings. Later years were dedicated to caring for aging parents. These seasons of life were sometimes difficult, but also brought many moments of joy.

Despite the fact that she had not yet completed Grade 8, Sara's dream was to become a teacher. She took courses whenever she could and, in time, was able to meet the requirements for a high school diploma. A year of normal school yielded a conditional teaching certificate. Many years of summer school allowed her to upgrade the conditional certificate to interim, permanent, advanced, and finally, a BEd degree. Scores of students, from Kelowna, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Langley, B.C, to St. Lucia, West Indies, and St. Petersburg, Russia, benefitted from her love of teaching. Even in her later years, teaching English to Canadian newcomers, that passion was not diminished.

In many ways, Sara's love for the Lord was expressed in her love for the church. The name Sara Unger quickly became synonymous with Sunday School and Daily Vacation Bible School. Sara and her sister Erna were charter members of the Mountainview Gospel Chapel in Mission, B.C. Later she was a member of the Clearbrook Mennonite Brethren and Bakerview Churches. Sara supported mission agencies and participated in prayer groups as long as she was able.

Sara left this life much as she had lived it. Having finished breakfast, she was in her wheelchair when they found her, as if to say, "This job is done; I can go now".

Rest in peace, Sara, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.

Sara was predeceased by her parents, Rev. John J. and Aganetha Unger, brothers John, Henry, and Dan, sister Margaret and her husband Ivan Shoup, sister-in-law Susie Unger, niece Esther Dyck, and nephew Lorne Unger. Left to cherish her memory are sisters Ellie Isaac, Erna and Eric Stormer, sisters-in-law Luella Unger and Mary Unger, many nieces and nephews, friends, and countless students around the world.

The family extends special appreciation and thanks to:

- Luella Unger for all the many rides and much assistance,

- Rubina Engel for patient and caring friendship,

- Bill Dyck, chaplain, who remembered to bring chocolate bars.

- and the wonderful, dedicated staff on W2 at Menno Hospital.

The following tribute outlines Sara Unger's work in St. Lucia, and the lasting impact she had on students, colleagues, and community.

A Tribute to Sara Unger: Missionary/School Teacher St. Lucia an Island State in the Eastern Caribbean 1964-1975

(Ignatius Evans- Mentee and Colleague)

This tribute is on behalf of the parents and students who attended the Plain View Combined School during her tenure, the Vieux Fort /Augier Community, as well those whose lives she touched including my family and myself, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude first to God, to the family and relatives of Sara Unger as well as her church family in Canada, for sharing such an outstanding model of Christian stewardship, love and humility with us in the Caribbean Island of Saint Lucia. Her passing has brought a measure of sadness to family members, relatives and those who knew her especially the many students whose lives she touched; however, having served the Lord for ninety-seven years she is entitled to hear the words of the Master, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord”.

Historical Background

“Miss Unger” as she was known here in St. Lucia served under the auspices of the West Indies Mission with the financial support of her church family in Canada. Her service came at a critical juncture in the history of the Plain View School and we are convinced that she was God’s choice to take charge of the school to make it an important arm of the church’s outreach programme and simultaneously becoming a premier educational institution as it is today.

In the fifties and Sixties there was a level of hostility and discrimination against children and parents affiliated with the newly established Evangelical churches. This presented a real obstacle for the spread of the gospel. In 1956, a Canadian missionary couple called Walter and Anne Grymaloski saw the need for a day school to enable Christian children to be schooled in a safe and welcoming environment. They convinced their Mission Board that a school was an essential help to the gospel ministry and can be structured to complement the evangelistic thrusts of the church.

The approval of the Mission Board paved the way for further expansion of the school.

There was need for trained personnel and additional space. Help came in the person of Miss Susan Giesbrecht, a Canadian elementary School teacher but she only served one year and went to Grenada to establish churches. God sent Miss Sara Unger and Bertha Tiessen later joined by Miss Margaret Klassen. Miss Tiessen served two years.

The school moved to an American barracks at Beanfield to accommodate the increase in student population. The initial curriculum consisted of a Saskatchewan Elementary School Correspondence Course Grades 1-8 .The discipline and quality of education offered by the Mission School as it was first called, distinguished it from the public schools that were on the control of the dominant religious bodies in the Country. The school population grew exponentially, attracting students who at first had no connections with the church.

The students enjoyed the new environment-vast area of flat lands, treeless, overlooking the Hewannora Airport and stretching about two miles from their vantage point. This inspired them to call the school- The Plain View School. They were no longer confined to 350 sq.ft of space in a small room at the back of the church.

The school functioned at that location for two years but were forced to seek alternative location. The church and its members harnessed community effort and built a main building at the school’s present location. Later government added another building to house a kitchen, auditorium and a number of classes thus increasing the ability of the school to expand.

It should be noted that these buildings are used by the church during summer vacation to hold youth camps and retreats for its members, thus the buildings served as an added arm of its evangelism outreach.

Miss Unger as a Person

Miss Unger has a great personality. Her home was open to all who came along her path. Although recruited to head the private school operated by the Vieux Fort and Augier Evangelical Churches, she extended and validated her missionary call to engage in life changing activities- grooming the youth for Christian ministry. She practiced succession planning long before that concept became popular in management theory. Her mentorship was so effective that at least three principals who succeeded her at the school were her mentees-Ignatius Evans, Paul Sammy and Marie Evans. The first two became Education Officer and Chief Education Officer respectively at the National level. Many others had leading roles in the church, school and community.

She arranged social gatherings for the youth and generously assisted those in need. She possessed an enthusiasm and willingness to do above the call of duty whether to teach a

Sunday School Class, to give a ride to someone after church attendance or lend her car for some worthwhile purpose or to sponsor students who were not able to pay their school fees or buy their school necessities. She had an exceptional energy.

Miss Unger’s Impact and Legacy

Miss Unger made a lasting impression on the lives of many children and individuals connected to the Plain View School, the Vieux Fort/Augier Evangelical Churches where she served. The number of heart warming tributes that flowed from St. Lucia on the obituary site, attest to that fact.

I was privileged to be part of Miss Unger’s teaching staff in 1966-1971. She saw potential in her staff and invested in them to ensure that she had a trained cadre of faithful and qualified teachers willing to take on the challenge of educating future generations at a Christian run private school. The in-service teacher training programme she designed for her staff was rated highly by those who benefited from it. The task of operating a school for over three hundred students was becoming enormous and needed resources beyond the ability of the church so a decision was made to apply for government recognition and assistance. The application was successful because of the overwhelming achievement of students of that school

The Plain View School headed by Miss Sara Unger was a formidable educational institution given that the students’ performance was on par with those of the government institutions and in some cases outperformed them.

Half way in 1971, Miss Unger was convinced that the time had come to hand over to a local member of staff. She voluntarily stepped down as principal and recommended to the School Board that Ignatius Evans, a qualified national be appointed as the principal. She did so magnanimously and not only promoted me but chose to remain on staff to give support and counsel if required- thus validating my new role as principal. This was a testament to her character as she modelled magnanimity and humility. She allowed me to take decisions without interference. I saw genuine sincerity and a desire on her part that I succeeded in my new role as principal. That more than anything else, has touched me and has left an indelible impression on my mind and heart. I am happy that I had the opportunity to thank her in person and expressed my heartfelt gratitude to her for the role she played in my personal and professional growth.

I moved on to higher education and became an Education Officer (Superintendent) of schools in St. Lucia. I was happy when she and her colleague Miss Margaret Klassen visited and lived at my home during our church organization’s 50th. Anniversary Celebration in 1999 to extend my families’ hospitality and deep gratitude to her. She too was overjoyed to see at firsthand the progress that had taken place and the fruits of her labour in St. Lucia. As a testimony of her love, devotion and service to God, her influence extended to school children and members of the community and today in the lives of their children, grand children who are current and former pupils of the school irrespective of their church affiliation.

She is indeed a “stirring testament of God’s sustaining Grace”….and has left us with “a heritage of faithfulness passed on through (her) Godly (life)”. Her memory and influence in the lives of those she met and worked with has lasted beyond her time in St. Lucia through the children and grand children of students of the Plain View Combined School and local Evangelical Churches. Lives are enriched and our churches are strengthened through the many opportunities afforded by the Plain View Combined School.

Gifts in Sara's memory may be given to a charity of choice.