DANELLA (NELLY) KLAUS

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DANELLA (NELLY) KLAUS On January 2, 2013, after a series of prolonged and debilitating illnesses, Nelly died peacefully at the Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg. She was born on May 2, 1934 in the farming community of Rakowo, Poland to Edward and Emilie Klaus (nee Jantz). Her sister Ella had joined the family eight years earlier and Nelly's arrival completed the family circle. The Klauses were successful farmers and Edward also served as Village Reeve for several years. The Second World War brought much unrest and pain to the village in which Polish and ethnically German farmers had worked together peacefully and harmoniously. In 1945, after Soviet armies conquered the area, the Klauses lost their farm and came close to losing their lives at the hands of the Polish partisans. Nelly saved her dad by clinging to him and begging for his life, causing a Russian officer to intervene. After much suffering the family managed to escape, eventually settling as refugees in Lower Saxony, West Germany. In 1953 family members facilitated their immigration to Canada, settling in Winnipeg, where they joined the German Baptist Mission Church. Nelly found office work in a succession of increasingly challenging positions and was known as a competent and reliable employee. In the nearly 1980s, when her parents became increasingly fragile - her father was in his 90's, her mother in her 80's - Nelly decided to step out of her office career to devote herself entirely to the care of her parents. This she did with much love and dedication. After both parents had died, Nelly, now in increasingly poor health, continued to live alone in the large family home, with much support from Home Care Services and cousins living in Winnipeg, especially Anneliese and Charles Kunze, and Mr. Reimer Clausen, a spiritual leader at Mission Baptist Church. The family is also deeply indebted to Darcia Stangl, Home Care Coordinator, and the many Home Care workers who provided excellent care, often under difficult and trying circumstances. Nelly was preceded in death by her parents, and her sister Ella and husband Willi Jadischke. She is survived by her niece Karin Schultz and husband Brian, her nephew Wilfred and wife Colleen; as well as their children Kristie, Kendra, Dustin; Joleen, Jesse, Jenna, and their families. Nelly also leaves behind many relatives in Canada, the USA and Germany belonging to the Klaus and Jantz clans, as well as her church family. In keeping with Nelly's interest in missions, friends and relatives will have the opportunity to remember her with gifts to Mission Baptist Church, 771 Sargent Ave., Winnipeg in support of the Outreach Ministries of the church. A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 9 at Friends Funeral Service, 2146 Main St., Winnipeg.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 05, 2013