Obituary of Laurene Fretz

Our hope is in the Lord Jesus who has taken Laurene Jeanette Fretz to heaven on Sunday, April 29, 2012. She had lived a full life of 74 years giving her life to serving Jesus and finding real joy in doing that with family, the church and mission. Laurene and her beloved husband Rev. Harvey Fretz enjoyed 53 years of married life and were blessed with two children Bradley (wife Maureen nee Mair) and Karen (husband Roger Bowman) and seven grandchildren, Cheryl, Lynn and Mitchel Fretz and James, Andrea, Randy and Derek Bowman. Rene is also remembered by her sisters Marjorie Fleming (Michael) of Hillsburg ON, Reva Pierson (Glenn) of Heart Lake ON, and sister in law Marie (David Sparks) of Owen Sound ON and their families. As pastor's wife, she served alongside Harvey for 40 years of full time ministry and 15 of those years were spent as missionary nurse and teacher in Nigeria. She was active in the four churches in ministry where they served with women, children and an open door in her home to families whom she encouraged to come closer to Jesus. Her six years of cancer treatment each week at Grand River Hospital were times of sharing her life hope with patients and kind nursing staff, explaining her faith in Jesus and courage in trials with a greater joy looking to heaven where she has now begun her new walk with Jesus. Laurene, "Rene" was a friend to all so that her life journey has endowed her with being known as a loving kind person and many would call her a saint of God. Her victory is expressed in her favorite verse in Philippians 1:21, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain". She would give all honour to God for His sustaining grace and mercy. Friends are invited to share their memories of Rene with her family during visitation at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo on Friday, May 4, 2012 from 2-4 and 6-9 p.m. The memorial service will be held at Faith Evangelical Missionary Church, 3849 King St. East, Kitchener on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 2:00 pm with Rev. Ivan Preston officiating. A reception will follow the memorial service at the church. Interment will follow at a later date in Parkview Cemetery, Waterloo In lieu of flowers, Rene's wish is for each of us to give blood at a local blood donor clinic. Condolences for the family and donations to the EMCC Nigeria Library Fund or the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre may be arranged through the funeral home at www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.