Obituary of Frieda Klassen

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Frieda Klassen died at home in the arms of her loving husband, Peter, on Thursday morning, September 29, one day prior to her 90th birthday. Frieda, the eldest of seven surviving children of Hermann and Susanne Neufeld, was born in 1932 in Ukraine, at that time part of the Soviet Union.

She grew up during the Stalin years of Great Terror marked by collectivization, dekulakization, expulsions, famine, and mass arrests. The Second World War forced the family to flee, via Poland and Yugoslavia, and they finally ended up in a refugee camp in Berlin, Germany. When the war ended, a group of refugees (which also included Peter’s family), with the assistance of the MCC, made a perilous journey to Argentina, eventually settling in Volendam, a new colony in Paraguay. After some years, Hermann moved his family to Brazil, where he established a dairy farm, and Frieda became a governess in Sao Paulo. Peter followed Frieda; they started their own farm and family in a marriage that was to last more than 69 years.

In 1964, Peter and Frieda moved their family, to Canada, where they built a very happy life. Frieda enjoyed her work at the University of Waterloo cafeteria preparing food for the campus community prior to her retirement. Peter and Frieda, along with their children—Walli (Dave), Doris (Paul), Karl (Suzanne), and Miriam (Michael)—welcomed fourteen beloved grandchildren and six great-grandchildren (so far) and especially enjoyed their church community and hosting family and friends at their cottage at Round Lake. Frieda loved cooking, fishing, singing, friends, and especially her family. She was a happy, grateful, generous, and hardworking person of strong faith who made friends easily and who will be dearly missed.

Visitation will be held at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo on Sunday, October 2, 2022 from 1:00-4:00 pm.  The funeral service and celebration of Frieda’s life will be held at St. Jacob’s Mennonite Church, 1308 King St. N., St. Jacobs, on Monday at 10:30 am.  A reception will follow at the church. Interment will take place at Parkview Cemetery, Waterloo. Condolences for the family and donations to Mennonite Central Committee may be arranged at www.erbgood.com and would be gratefully appreciated. 

Thank-you for observing provincial COVID guidance, including refraining from attending if you have symptoms and wearing masks if required.