Obituary of Selma Enns

Selma Enns (née Franz), born February 24, 1937, in Paulsheim, Ukraine, to Abram and Helene (Penner) Franz, passed away at Chicopee Palliative Care on Friday, September 12, 2025.

Loving wife of previously deceased Gary (Gerhard) Enns and dear mother to Philip and Lori (Kroh) Enns, Albert and Melinda (Hecht) Hecht-Enns, and Brian and Verena (Ens) Enns. She was a doting grandmother to her 9 grandchildren.

She was the last surviving sibling, with Johan, Abram, Helen (Bergen), and Victor passing before her.

Selma was a devout Christian who had a passion for sharing knowledge of the Bible with women in her community, whether that was in her church communities of Kitchener Mennonite Brethren Church or Glencairn Church, or her community in Elmira, or later in life at the Grand Valley Institution for Women. She at one point in time was leading 3 Bible studies in one week, which is no small feat.

She had a strong belief in the role of women in Church leadership when that was still a marginal idea, and she supported conferences advancing those discussions. She immersed herself in the ideas of women in theology by studying with Mary T. Malone at the University of Waterloo. Many Sunday lunches were filled with critiques of the church services, instilling in her children a healthy skepticism of those in authority. 

She was not one to sit idle, with varied pursuits including ensuring that a sidewalk was built along her sons’ paper route, pushing for the vision of a Waterloo version of Tabor Manor seniors home (becoming Valleview Manor where she lived later), and learning how to use a computer in the early days of personal computers.

Along with her husband, Gary, she enjoyed traveling to different countries for vacations and missions work. While in Zambia with Mennonite Central Committee, she taught sewing to the women in the community. They took many trips to Ukraine to spread the Gospel to those who lived in the area surrounding her birthplace.

Towards the end of her life, her community became Parkwood Retirement Suites and her heart was filled with the joys and struggles of her tablemates. She enjoyed hearing people’s feedback after reading her autobiography and marvelling at all that had happened in her life. God had done so much to protect her family, fleeing the Russians, giving strength in clearing the jungle of Paraguay without a father, and bringing her to the safety of Canada. For that, she was always grateful. 

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Visitation will be held at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo, on Thursday, September 18, 2025, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. The memorial service will take place at Waterloo North Mennonite Church, 100 Benjamin Rd, Waterloo, on Friday, September 19, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. A reception will follow.

A livestream and recording of the service will be made available on Selma’s tribute page at www.erbgood.com

A private family interment will have taken place at Memory Gardens Cemetery, Breslau.

In lieu of flowers, condolences for the family and donations to Mennonite Central Committee may be arranged through the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King Street S., Waterloo at www.erbgood.com