She will be dearly missed by her children: Ed (Leona) Janzen of Pincher Creek, Doris (Morley) Pinkoski of Spruce Grove, Loretta Janzen of Calgary and Elaine Tyssen of Coaldale; her grandchildren: Rayleen (Gerald) Beaudoin and their children, Sarah, Marshall, Lawson and Landin; Colleen Janzen and her children, Carter and Jeanelle; Hilary Janzen (Barret Anjo) and children Jonas and Finley; Keith Pinkoski and his daughter, Rayna (Neil) Glazenburg, and their son, Oliver; David (Sarah) Friesen and their children, Lorelei and Claire; and Julie Tyssen. Mom also will be missed by her brother Neil (Zelma) Klassen and sisters-in-law June Klassen, Anne Braul and Annie Janzen; her nieces and nephews; and many friends.

Mom was predeceased by her husband, Peter J. Janzen; her grandson Colin Pinkoski; her parents, Jakob and Helena (Driedger) Klassen; her brothers Peter (Jesse) Klassen, Aron Klassen, Isaac (Erna) Klassen, Ernst Klassen; her sisters Lora (Philip) Dyck and Helen (John) Tiedemann.

Mom was second-oldest in her family and the oldest girl. The family immigrated to Canada in 1927 and settled in Watrous, Sask., where other family members were living. Life was hard; work was hard to find for her father, and her mother died when Mom was 12 years old, leaving a family of seven children.

Her dad remarried and the family moved to Rosemary, Alta., where her dad bought land and eventually became a seed grower. Mom talked of attending school at Countess, Alta., and attending the Rosemary Mennonite Church, where she was baptized. She attended Bible school at Didsbury, Alta., where she met Dad. They were married on Oct. 7, 1944, in Rosemary and came to live on the farm in the Springridge area.

Mom was an active member of Springridge Mennonite Church, teaching Sunday school, and was a deacon along with Peter. She was also a member of the Springridge Church Women, volunteering for the Lethbridge MCC Thrift Shop, sewing hundreds of kit bags and shopping bags, making blankets and rolling bandages that were sent overseas, etc.

Mom was also active in her community; she was the local reporter for the Pincher Creek Echo for years, campaigned for the Red Cross and other activities.

Mom loved her yard; it was like an English garden. Over the years many people dropped in to also enjoy it, and many got to enjoy her strawberries, asparagus and flowers.

Mom and Dad started travelling in the early ’80s. They spent many winters in Mexico and later other destinations, making friends along the way. Many pictures and stories of their adventures were shared with family and friends.

If you were a visitor at Kathy’s, you never left empty-handed or without a full stomach. Mom loved to make all the traditional foods and always made enough to share. Everyone was welcome in her home.

Mom and Dad moved to Whispering Winds on June 1, 2011. Mom enjoyed the social life, playing games with friends and playing bingo. She was active there until she suffered a bad stroke on June 23, 2019. This changed her life and she spent the last part of it at Vista Village, where she got excellent care.

Memorial donations, if desired, can be made to the Mennonite Central Committee (Alberta), #210, 2946 32nd St. N.E., Calgary, AB, T1Y 6J7.

Funeral arrangements entrusted to Snodgrass Funeral Homes

403-627-4864     www.snodgrassfuneralhomes.com