Obituary of Werner Peter Froese

Werner Peter Froese Born: July 19, 1938 in Ryley, AB Died: December 25, 2018 in Cranbrook, BC Werner attended elementary school in Matsqui, BC. After graduating from high school in Mission, he worked at the local cedar mill. Following his marriage to Susanna Epp, Werner moved to Winnipeg to attend the Canadian Mennonite Bible College. In 1967, he received his Bachelor of Theology and started his career as a minister at: Lost River (Nipawin, SK); Bergthal (Didsbury, AB); Eigenheim (Rosthern, SK); Burwalde (Ciudad Cuauhtémoc, Mexico); and Eden (Chilliwack, BC). He also served as the director of Mennonite Central Committee Saskatchewan (1990-1996). In retirement, Werner and Susanna worked with Ten Thousand Villages in the Maritimes. They volunteered three times with the Mennonite Disaster Service, providing Hurricane Katrina relief in Metairie (New Orleans, LA). In Cranbrook, Werner continued his passion for pastoral visitation by founding the chaplaincy program at the East Kootenay Regional Hospital. Werner spent his life helping people. He regularly went out of his way to make others' lives better. Werner always looked for the good in others, and helped people by listening, comforting and advising them. He lived an exemplary life of love and kindness, with his passionate belief in Christ as his rock, his motivation and his comfort. He thought of everyone as a friend, easily entering into conversations and quickly putting people at ease. When he didn't have a shovel or hammer in his hands, he held a Bible, devotional text or hymnal. Werner enjoyed life and being with those he loved. He liked driving/travel, carpentry, reading, going for walks, singing around the fire and games at the table. His nieces and nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren hold dear countless memories of time spent with him in the yard, at a park, or out for coffee and a donut. Werner is survived by his wife of 58 years, Susanna; his sons Michael (Barb), Kenneth (Carla), and Lewis (Christalee); his grandchildren Jeremy, Jaqui McLean (Gordon), Shane, Brittany, Ashley, Esra, Sami, Logan and Journey; his great-grandchildren Parker and Kohen; his siblings and many nieces and nephews. Werner will be missed by his family, his friends and his neighbors. A visitation for Werner will be held on Tuesday, January 1, 2019 at McPherson Funeral Home in Cranbrook from 7:00 pm until 8:00 pm. He will be interred in Westlawn Cemetery in Cranbrook on Wednesday, January 2, 2019 at 9:30 am followed by a Celebration Of Life Service at Knox Presbyterian Church in Cranbrook at 11:00 am. Arrangements entrusted to McPherson Funeral Service. Condolences for the family can be offered at: www.mcphersonfh.com