Obituary of Leonhard Frede

Leonhard Frede passed away peacefully into the arms of Jesus on Sunday, June 9, 2024 at The Village of University Gates LTC in Waterloo at the age of 91.  He is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Beulah. Leonhard will be dearly missed by his daughter, Kathy Dobes (Karel), his son, Jeff Frede (Norma), and his four grandchildren, Jillian Haan, Janine Sunga (Billy), Colin Frede (Amy Langer) and Evan Frede (Jamie).  Known as “Ggpa” to Liam, Tyler, Wyatt and Aubrey, they will miss their great grandfather, as will Sebastien and Brielle Dobes.

Leonhard was born in Poland on May 2, 1933, to German parents, Eduard and Alwine Frede.  His early years were shaped largely by the harsh realities of war-torn Europe during WWll.  On January 19, 1945, his family was ordered to leave their homestead in Marianki, Lipno.  Leonhard, along with his mother and four siblings (Elsie, Ewald, Edwin & George), loaded their belongings on their wagon and they left with other German people from their village.  After travelling somewhere between 800-900 km (mostly on foot), the family arrived in Jarnsen, Germany at the end of April 1945.  Leonhard’s father and brother (Reinhard) were reunited with the family in Germany at the end of the war.

Following the advent of WWll, Leonhard’s journey took him to Canada. On November 9, 1950, Leonhard and his brother Reinhard boarded the Beaverbrae ship and headed out to the North Sea.  Leonhard was 17 years old and was both excited and nervous about what lay ahead for him.  His immigration to Canada was sponsored by a Mennonite farmer in Waterloo County where he was to be a farm labourer until he paid off his fare.  The ship docked at the Quebec City harbour on November 23, 1950.  After a 2-day bus trip, Leonhard arrived in Galt, ON where he was met by two men who drove him and his brother to a farm near Elmira where he was to work.  Leonhard arrived with an overnight bag and the clothes he was wearing, and his trunk ended up in a warehouse in Vancouver, BC.  It wasn’t until six weeks later that his trunk arrived, and he finally had his own clothes and belongings. In the spring of 1952, he gave notice to his employer and started to branch out on his own.  He obtained occasional work at Martin’s Tile Yard in Wallenstein and later joined a ditching crew. 

In the fall of 1952, Leonhard started working at Garfield Glove Company as a glove cutter.  By this time his parents and the rest of his siblings were living in Elmira in a house they had purchased.  While tending the gardens in their backyard, Leonhard met Beulah Bauman who was working for the next-door neighbour.  Leonhard and Beulah were married on September 10, 1955, at Elmira Baptist Church.  In the spring of 1956, Garfield Glove Company was sold to Ontario Glove where he worked for thirty years.  He resigned in the summer of 1985 and accepted a custodial job at First Baptist Church, the church where he and Beulah have attended since 1965.  In 1998, he retired from his full-time job at the church to enjoy more time with family and friends.

Leonhard was a faithful man of God.  He was consistent, dependable and a great encourager. As head usher at First Baptist, he loved greeting people as they walked through the church doors. He enjoyed helping with the Super 60’s program at the church and was known for his behind-the-scenes work setting up tables and chairs and making the coffee. To his family he was a wonderful role model and teacher.  Leonhard’s warm heart, his beautiful smile and his generous spirit will be greatly missed by all who knew him and loved him. 

The family would like to thank the staff at Hospice Waterloo Region for their loving and compassionate care of Dad for the 5 months that he was there.  A special thank you to the staff in the Johnston Neighbourhood at University Gates who most recently cared for Dad in his last weeks of life. We will be forever grateful to the many people who came alongside to help and encourage Dad on his journey.  Thank you for caring.

Visitation will be held at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Funeral Service will be held at First Baptist Church, 306 Erb St. W., Waterloo on Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at 11:00 a.m., with a visitation at the church from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. A reception will immediately follow the service in the church hall. Interment at Hawkesville Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Hospice Waterloo Region or the CFPC www.iteams.ca/impact-programs/burkina-faso may be arranged through the funeral home at 519-745-8445 or www.erbgood.com