Obituary of Anne Winter

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It is with sad and grateful hearts that we announce the passing of Anne Winter (nee Hildebrand) at the age of 92 in Cambridge, Ontario. She lived a rich and full life, the last chapter of which included a long journey with dementia. Her family is grateful to have been present with her through this last chapter and in her last special days and hours. Anne passed away peacefully during the early morning hours of January 10^th - a cold, crisp night full of stars, befitting of her prairie roots.

Anne was born on October 12,1932 into a large Mennonite farming family near Winkler, Manitoba. She was the fourth child of 11 (9 girls and 2 boys). Her early life was full of working on the farm; raising a 4H garden; going to church; walking to the one room schoolhouse when the weather was good, and riding to school in horse and sleigh when the snow was too deep. To attend high school in Winkler, she earned money to pay her own room and board by hoeing potatoes and detasseling corn. Her early family life cultivated a seemingly inexhaustible work ethic, a deep and committed Christian faith, and a tendency toward raucous laugher (especially in the company of her sisters!). Memories of these early years are the ones that persisted longest into her dementia.

Following high school, Anne attended teacher’s college and later completed a sociology degree at Goshen College. She taught for several years in rural Manitoba schools until she caught the eye of a high school teacher named David Winter. Anne had dreams of becoming a missionary, so wasn’t sure she was ready to settle down to marriage.  But Dave was persuasive and promised that they would fulfill the dream by doing mission work together. After seminary, more school for Dave, and the birth of their first two children, Josie and Robert, the family left Manitoba and spent three years in Zambia (1964-67) working in a Teachers Abroad program with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). It was there that their third child, Ron was born.

The family lived in Morden, Manitoba for close to 20 years, where Dave worked in high school education and Anne tended to the family, was active in their church, organized the figure skating club, helped to run the Speech & Arts Festival, coached softball and kept active herself – especially with tennis, curling and jogging. Together Anne and Dave created a family home characterized by steady and thoughtful parenting, unconditional love, faith, a focus on helping others, hard work, joyful living and frugality (Mom was a pre-adopter of “reduce, reuse and recycle”).

They moved to Saskatchewan in 1980 where Dave was the principal of Rosthern Junior College for close to a decade. Anne & Dave then ‘retired’ but continued in their efforts to help others, first as volunteers with Mennonite Board of Missions in Tucson Arizona, and then working with MCC in Bolivia with old-colony Mennonites. They then really retired to Coventry Road in Winnipeg where Anne enjoyed gardening, bird watching, being closer to family, friends, and the community they found in Charleswood Mennonite Church. Anne continued to volunteer and remain active especially in the area of refugee support. Tennis and curling, especially with her sister Teenie and brother-in-law Sieg, remained a highlight into her early 80s.

One of Anne’s greatest sorrows was the death of her son Robert in 2007. Early cognitive decline started in the years after. Following the death of Dave in 2013, she moved to Waterloo, Ontario to be closer to her daughter Josie and son Ron. With her children’s support she was able to remain semi-independent for a number of years living in an apartment across the driveway from Josie and her family. Her last years were spent in Parkwood and Fairview Mennonite Homes. We are deeply grateful for the care and support she received from the staff in both places, where she was treated with much dignity, respect, kindness and affection.

Left to mourn Anne’s passing and celebrate her life are her children Josephine (Will) Winterfeld, Ronald (Sonya) Wu-Winter and daughter-in-law Sandy Winter; her grandchildren Eli (Lauren), Misha, Isaac (Meghan), Sophia and Rebecca; and her great-granddaughter Abigail, whose presence always lit up Anne’s face; her sisters Teenie (Sieg) Wall, Mary Dyck, Agnes Pauls, Martha (Jack) Pauls, Phyllis (George) Pauls; her sisters-in-law Marge Hildebrand, Nicole Brockie, Darlene Hildebrand and Marge Winter and her brother-in- law John (Bernice) Winter.

She was predeceased by her son Robert, her husband Dave, her siblings Elizabeth, Jerry, Helen, Esther, and Danny; her sister & brother-in-law Lena Winter and Jack (Marge) Winters.

A memorial service will be held at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S, Waterloo, on Friday, January 31st, 2025, at 3 pm with a light reception to follow. The service will be livestreamed and a recording will be available here. Interment of the cremated remains will occur in Winnipeg at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, you may choose to give to the charity of your choice or simply show some kindness to a friend or stranger. Our family is forever grateful to the kindness shown by so many to our mother, especially during this last chapter of her life.