JOHN REMPEL

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JOHN REMPEL
1922 - 2020

The family wishes to celebrate the life of John Rempel, who passed into the presence of his Saviour Jesus Christ on Saturday, August 8, 2020.
Dad was born on November 19, 1922, in Olgafeld, Gebiet Saporoshje, Ukraine, the third of seven children, of Dietrich and Agatha Rempel.
He grew up in Osterwick, Chortiza. He graduated from middle school and then worked on the collective farm. Life became very difficult when his father was arrested in 1938, never to be seen again.
In 1942, when German forces occupied Ukraine, he was drafted into the German army. He served for three years, rebuilding a power dam, guarding Russian prisoners and acting as an interpreter.
A great sadness for Dad was the death of his mother in 1945, only weeks before he was reunited with his family after the war.
From 1945 to 1949 he lived with his siblings, and an aunt and uncle in Germany, and worked at farming. However, he and his family found themselves living on the Russian side of Germany after it was partitioned and had to escape to the western side.
He was baptized in Germany in 1948 and immigrated to Canada with some of the family members in 1949, where he began work as a farmhand. How he loved this country!
In 1952 he became a shipper and then later a lumber sales representative for Sprague Distributors in Winnipeg, where he worked until his retirement. This same year, he received Christ as his personal Saviour and married Mary Neufeld of Griswold, Manitoba.
In 1954 Dad and Mom began raising a family and built a home in Kirkfield Park, Winnipeg.
Dad retired from sales in 1988 after 36 years with the company.
He and Mom took three wonderful vacations. These were to Hawaii, Portugal and Europe.
Dad spent his retirement helping with family and friends and caring for his home.
He drove his car until he was 90, when he moved from their beloved home into an apartment next to Calvary Place, where Mom resided her last three years and then Dad also, his last four years of life. Dad loved Jesus faithfully for 68 years. We got to see him read his Bible and his daily devotional every night of his life until he could no longer.
Dad was predeceased by his wife Mary, his parents, four siblings, a granddaughter, and several brothers and sisters-in-law.
He is survived by his daughter Sharon Kennedy (Scott), son John Rempel (Carla), grandchildren, Ryan Kennedy (Amanda), Adam Kennedy, Micah Kennedy (Kristin), Laura Jane Boville (Jared), Marybeth Dirks (Stefan), and great-grandchildren, Malakai, Titus, Eliza and Magdalynn Boville, Cayden Kennedy and Elliott Dirks. He is also survived by his two sisters, Ann Lehnert and Kate Jordanov, and numerous sisters and brothers-in-law.
The family is very grateful for the loving care Dad received from Calvary Place staff. We particularly want to thank Eranio, Pauline, Hambert, Lorenzo and Laura, whose kindnesses and care meant so much.
Please RSVP to attend the graveside service on August 31, 2020, at 12:30 p.m. at Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens.

Dad - We love you more!

For those who wish to sign the online
Guest Book please visit www.chapellawn.ca

Chapel Lawn Funeral Home
204-885-9715

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 15, 2020