ELSIE (ELSA) BRAUN

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ELSIE (ELSA) BRAUN

(nee WALL)

December 6, 1928 - July 8, 2024

Peacefully on a beautiful summer morning, mom left us to reunite with dad.

She leaves her children, Rudy (Diane Byram), Hildy (Walter Dyck), Elsie (Ernie Loewen deceased), Ronny (Kathy) and Monika (Glen MacAngus); grandchildren, Ryan (Sylvia) and Chris (Sheena) Dyck, Scott (Whitney) Loewen, Sydney (Sprague Richardson) and Cameron MacAngus; great-grandchildren, Stella, Zak, Henry, Ruby, Hamish and Rosie; Diane’s daughters, Lisa (Joey) Sullivan, Pepper and Raeya, Amy (Joel) Sibthorpe, Luna; sister-in-law Adina Wall, brother-in-law Nick (Suzie) Peters, brother-in-law Peter (Betty) Braun, nieces and nephews.

Predeceased by her husband Dietrich, parents, Jacob and Anna Wall, siblings, Jacob, Louise, twin sister in infancy Erna, brother in infancy, son-in-law Ernie Loewen.

Mom lived a long and happy life. Her secret? Walking not driving, laughing not complaining, accepting not resenting and a schlukes of Apricot Brandy every now and then. Simple lessons we all can learn from.

The past year and a half were a struggle. Mom was prepared but she recognized God wasn’t ready for her, so she accepted the challenges and appreciated every doctor, hospital stay, nurse and caregiver her care was placed in, helping our family find comfort at every turn. Bethania was her final ‘home’ for only a short while, but it was where she was at peace, we thank you for that.

Service at North Kildonan Mennonite Church, 1131 Roch St., Tuesday, July 23, 10:00 a.m.

A private family burial service has been held.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, 1379 Kenaston Blvd., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 2T5.

in care of arrangements

Tributes: friendsfs.ca

ELSIE (ELSA) BRAUN

(nee WALL)

December 6, 1928 - July 8, 2024

Peacefully on a beautiful summer morning, mom left us to reunite with dad.



Mom always drew the positive out of her 95 years of living. Born during a time of uncertainty, mom often shared stories of her life growing up. Fleeing Ukraine during the war to live in Germany, Holland and Paraguay, mom’s family finally felt settled when they arrived in Canada. Her childhood and youth were lived during hard times, but their Mennonite community provided an extended family that worked together and shared many happy times as well. Mom’s commitment and trust in her faith were strong and carried her through anything that came her way.

In 1947, she and her family boarded the ship Vollendam along with 2000 other refugees, taking them from Holland to Argentina. On this long journey is where she met dad. Their friendship grew while in Paraguay and were engaged shortly before mom’s family moved to Canada in 1952. Dad followed three years later. Dad wrote mom a letter weekly until his arrival. They married January 1955 and the life they’d dreamed about began. A family grew and living upstairs at mom’s parent’s home with three kids wasn’t ideal. Dad found a lot on Sutton Avenue, and he built which would be our home for many years to come, adding two more children to complete their family. They shared a quiet love for each other that made their second separation of 38 years after dad’s passing in 1986, heartbreaking to witness at times. That same year mom also lost both her parents in the months that followed. Although she had her kids and grandchildren, mom was lost and needed to find a new path to her future. Until then her days were filled with caring for her elderly parents and doing everything together with dad.

Although small in stature, mom was the strongest woman her family would know. Over time, mom expanded her volunteerism as Sunday School teacher to include Willing Helpers and MCC Thrift Store where she would make close friendships, canvass on our street for various charities and serving lunch at Kingsford Haus where she eventually became a resident.

Mom also filled her time with trips to Calgary to see Rudy and his family, Palm Springs in the winter with Hildy and two trips to Germany to visit old friends and cousins. West Hawk Lake was a special place we often went for a week as a young family. When Monika and then Hildy settled there, mom loved coming for endless days of swimming, cooking waffles and ‘German’ pancake breakfasts and waking up with her kids and grandkids waiting to see what the day would bring.

Volunteering and working as a housekeeper helped fill her day but making herself available to family came first. Cooking or baking our favourites to ‘lure’ us over as she would say, Wednesday family meals on Sutton, special holiday meals not falling on the holiday so we could all be there showed her flexibility and easiness. Mom didn’t want to be the center of attention, she just enjoyed being in the middle of family banter. Every night mom would pray for each of us and whoever was in need of a longer prayer that night, would receive one. When she cupped our faces with her hands and say, “I just want to see your face” we’re certain she was looking in our eyes, making sure we were okay.

Mom lived a long and happy life. Her secret? Walking not driving, laughing not complaining, accepting not resenting and a schlukes of Apricot Brandy every now and then. Simple lessons we all can learn from.

Missing her more than there are words for, she leaves her children, Rudy (Diane Byram), Hildy (Walter Dyck), Elsie (Ernie Loewen deceased), Ronny (Kathy) and Monika (Glen MacAngus); grandchildren, Ryan (Sylvia) and Chris (Sheena) Dyck, Scott (Whitney) Loewen, Sydney (Sprague Richardson) and Cameron MacAngus; great-grandchildren, Stella, Zak, Henry, Ruby, Hamish and Rosie; Diane’s daughters, Lisa (Joey) Sullivan, Pepper and Raeya, Amy (Joel) Sibthorpe, Luna; sister-in-law Adina Wall, brother-in-law Nick (Suzie) Peters, brother-in-law Peter (Betty) Braun, nieces and nephews.

Predeceased by her husband Dietrich, parents, Jacob and Anna Wall, siblings, Jacob, Louise, twin sister in infancy Erna, brother in infancy, son-in-law Ernie Loewen.

The past year and a half were a struggle. Mom was prepared but she recognized God wasn’t ready for her, so she accepted the challenges and appreciated every doctor, hospital stay, nurse and caregiver her care was placed in, helping our family find comfort at every turn. Bethania was her final ‘home’ for only a short while, but it was where she was at peace, we thank you for that.

Service at North Kildonan Mennonite Church, 1131 Roch St., Tuesday July 23, 10:00 a.m. A private family burial service has been held.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation. 1379 Kenaston Blvd.. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 2T5.

in care of arrangements

Tributes: friendsfs.ca

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 13, 2024, Jul 13, 2024, Jul 20, 2024