David “Dave” Thiessen

1928 – 2005

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather.

Dad was born on March 31, 1928 to Benjamin and Helena (nee Dyck) Thiessen and grew up in the Glencross area.

Mom and dad got married in Emerson, MB.  They made their home in Ontario for the first year where they worked in the tobacco fields and then moved back to Manitoba and made their home in Wiedenfeld for 36 years.

Dad taught me to drive car and tractor at an early age so I could drive to the beet field by myself.  Dad never missed any of my baseball games as this was something I had inherited from him.  Our fondest memories are of dad playing his violin with his band at his daughters’ weddings and at his 25^th anniversary.

Dad worked on the pipeline in Saskatchewan in 1957.  He also worked for Manitoba Hydro.  Dad enjoyed buying cattle and had a small hobby farm.  He worked for MTS for 15 years until he began falling down.  In 1986, Dad was diagnosed with MS.  Dad preferred to refer to it as arthritis.

We had an auction sale which dad found very hard as he was losing all his personal possessions that they had worked so hard for.  Mom and dad sold the farm and moved to Winkler in 1990.  The next difficulty came for dad when he was unable to drive the car he so enjoyed.

Dad received homecare for many years (Kathy Klassen, Mary Schmidt, the late Eldon Funk and others).  Mom also took care of him until it got to be too hard for her.  On September 9, 1998, dad requested to be baptized into the Sommerfelder Gemeinde which he found very hard but with the reassurance of Bishop Peter Heppner and the late Rev. Dickie Penner, we all felt very relieved.  Dad was transferred to Salem Home on February 1, 1999.  Dad had a soft spot when it came to going to Chapel and listening to music.  Dad enjoyed visits from the grandchildren.

Our mother faithfully went to visit dad often.  On December 20, 2001, mom and dad celebrated their 50^th anniversary at Salem with friends and family.

On Sunday, February 27, mom went to visit dad but was informed that there was a severe case of the flu on dad’s ward.  Suddenly on Tuesday, March 1 at 8:00 a.m. dad was called to his eternal rest which was a shock but also a joy because his suffering had ended.  Dad lived for 76 years, 11 months and 30 days.

His memory will be cherished by his loving wife, Edna; two daughters, Patsy and Jack Unger of Winkler, Holly and Adrian Delorme of Winkler; grandchildren, Kim and Vern Derksen of Winkler and their boys Jadan and Cordel, Klinton Unger of Winnipeg, Autumn and Amber Friesen and Harley Delorme.

Dad was predeceased by his parents, Benjamin Thiessen (1957) and Helena Thiessen (1961), four sisters Helen Mead, Mary Olson, Nettie Fehr, Tina Banman; three brothers, George, Benjamin and Peter.

He is survived by his two sisters; Eva at Salem and Annie Bjornson of Thornhill; brother Isaac and Anne Thiessen of Miami; brother-in-law Ben Fehr and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral service was held on Friday, March 4, 2005 at 2:00 pm at Winkler Sommerfeld Mennonite Church with Reverend Abe Heppner officiating,  Internment followed at Winkler Cemetery.

We as a family would like to extend our gratitude to all the staff at Salem Home for the wonderful care dad received; to the home care workers; to Robert Schulz, who was always available to help in time of need; to Rev. Abe Heppner for his message and support; the organist; Halfway Home Group; the pallbearers; the ushers; the ladies serving faspa; the custodian; Wiebe Funeral Home for all their help in arrangements, the flowers, prayers, phone calls, food and anyone who contributed to dad’s life or funeral.

Wiebe Funeral Home, Winkler in care of arrangements.