ELFRIEDA RUTH (REGIER) LOEWEN

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

ELFRIEDA RUTH (REGIER) LOEWEN
June 21, 1923 - June 27, 2023

Elfrieda Ruth (Regier) Loewen passed away June 27, 2023, six days after celebrating her 100th birthday. She was born on June 21, 1923, the daughter of David A. and Barbara (Epp) Regier, and grew up on a farm near Mountain Lake, Minnesota. Her father was a long-time pastor of the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church. Elfrieda trusted Jesus as her savior, was baptized at age ten and joined the EMB church where she remained a member.
She attended Mountain Lake Bible School and high school, Mankato State and Wheaton College where she graduated after studies in German literature and science. During a weekend visit to Goshen College she met Mel, a Canadian from Steinbach, Manitoba, at an ice cream party. While Mel was finishing his senior year at Goshen, Elfrieda taught high school science in northern Minnesota. They were married in August 1949.
While Mel was teaching high school and taking graduate classes at U. of Minnesota, and Elfrieda cared for her first babies, missionary friends came visiting and mentioned the need for educators in Africa. Mel and Elfrieda applied for service with the Congo Inland Mission, an inter-Mennonite collaborative, and were soon off to Congo with their three children.
During their first furlough in 1959, the family – by then with five children - stopped in Belgium for a year for Mel to finish his residency for a PhD. The '60s were turbulent years in the Congo. The family had to deal with a rebel occupation of their city. Throughout, Elfrieda was reassured by God's presence. Her sixth child was born shortly after paratroopers rescued the family after a four-month hostage stand-off in eastern Congo.
Among her fondest memories were the many women she worked with in Congo, Ivory Coast, and Rwanda, and the wonderful Bible studies she shared with colleagues when they lived in California and Washington, DC. Wherever she could find a garden spot - in their 36 moves around the world - she would grow vegetables and plant flowers. Elfrieda also enjoyed the companionship of her dogs over the years.
Her cup of joy ran over when in retirement she could visit her children and their families. She is survived by Mel, her husband of 74 years, and her children Barbara, Margaret, John, James and Lisa, along with her children-in-law, Nancy, Bob, Wendy and Joe. She is also survived by her sister, Mary Regier. Her eldest child, Jacob Gerard, predeceased her. In addition, she is survived by her eight grandchildren and seven great-grands whom she loved dearly.
A graveside service was held on Saturday, July 8, 2023, at Heritage Cemetery, Steinbach, MB.

As published in The Carillon on Jul 13, 2023