Obituary of Frieda (Bartel) Unger

 

August 1, 1936 - November 17, 2024

88 Years

A beautiful, gentle lady went to be with her Lord and Savior, Sunday, November 20, 2024. (Helen) Frieda Unger was born August 1, 1936, in the town of Wilkie, Saskatchewan. Our Mom and Dad had a problem naming her. Mom wanted to call her Frieda Helen but Dad wanted to call her Helen Frieda, so Dad registered her that way. But everybody called her Frieda. They first lived next to Uma (Grandmother) and Aunt Tena Bartel on the same yard. Dad farmed with his brothers. They would always be at Grandmother’s home and she would give the grandchildren candy. In 1941-42, Mom and Dad bought a farm about one mile away from Uma. Frieda started school at McConnell School, not far from their farm, so they walked. The teacher was hard to understand because she spoke English and we spoke only German at home.

 

In 1943, Mom and Dad bought a farm about 1 ½ miles from Aberdeen, Sask. Dad would take the kids to school in wintertime in a caboose with a wood stove inside. In summer they’d walk to school. Frieda was unable to finish school, starting sacrificial care for her family, helping on the farm, milking cows, feeding pigs, chickens, and helping with cooking. In 1956 to 1957, Frieda attended Bible School in Rosthern, after which Frieda continued back on the farm plus babysitting at the neighbors. Our family moved to Saskatoon so that my brothers Peter, Henry and Jack could attend John Dolan School, where they learned a trade. Frieda resumed her education in the 60s, moving to Prince Albert to attend the adult education program at Carlton High School, earning her GED. Frieda began her nursing career working as a care aide at the Convalescent Home in Saskatoon for five years, the Rosthern Nursing Home at the Youth Farm for five years, Sherbrook Nursing Home in Saskatoon for five years, and Central Haven Nursing Home for a year.

 

Frieda was baptized May 26, 1957, by Rev. Arthur Regier, joining the Aberdeen Mennonite Church. On April 4, 1971, Frieda transferred her membership to Mayfair Mennonite Church, Saskatoon. Frieda married Benjamin Unger on November 18, 1977, and moved to his farm in the Rosthern/Eigenheim area. There she joined the Eigenheim Mennonite Church on April 21, 1978, taught Sunday School, joined the Women’s Fellowship group, and sang in the choir.  Frieda got her love of gardening from our Mom growing many productive gardens plus working with Elsie Siemens, her farm neighbor and good friend in her plant shop across the road. Being raised on the farm, Frieda loved animals especially dogs, cats and a special pet, a goat named Buckus.

 

Frieda enjoyed being involved in her community writing the Eigenheim news (beginning in 1980) for Valley News, Rosthern’s weekly paper and the Senior’s Corner for many years. Ben and Frieda made the huge decision to sell their farm and move to a home in Rosthern. They continued attending and being involved at Eigenheim Church plus being involved in the Senior’s Corner, singing in their choir, as a Board member and pin bowling. Frieda and Ben travelled extensively to visit family: our sister Mary and her family in Alberta, our BC aunts, uncles and cousins, to family reunions, to Germany to visit our Bartel family.

 

Frieda and Ben sold their home and transitioned to Prairie Meadow Place, making this wise decision for health reasons. Here, Frieda quickly became part of this community, actively participating in all their activities, especially being an avid fan of Bingo, exercises, Bible study, music programs, reuniting with former friends and family, making many new friends. Frieda’s biggest loves were making rollkuchen, peppernuts and seasonal baking projects with her Prairie Meadow family. Frieda was very involved with her and Ben’s extended families, the Bartels, Dycks, and Friesens, maintaining friendships with many cousins. Frieda loved her nieces and nephews having a special bond with them, being supportive with phone calls and as their prayer warrior. Frieda’s special ministry was to sing, “Happy Birthday” for family and friends on their special day. Frieda’s second ministry was phoning and visiting her sister, Mary, Henry, me, her extended family and friends.

 

As previously mentioned, Frieda sacrificed her early education to help our Mom raise her 3 intellectually disabled brothers and me. This was the beginning of her sacrificial service to her family and loved ones, looking after our Grandma Bartel when she was dying, supporting our Mom in her terminal cancer journey, supporting our Dad after our Mom died, lovingly establishing a friendship with our second Mother, Maria Bartel, helping me become the person I am today. Frieda and I shared a bedroom which must have been challenging with me being a rambunctious, chatty, curious girl. Mom taught Frieda how to bake her delicious brown bread, peppernuts, cookies, how to cook the family’s favorite Mennonite foods and clean the house. In turn, Frieda patiently taught me all these household duties. Frieda got me 2 of my first jobs, the first on the weekend cleaning staff at the Rosthern Nursing Home where she worked and the second as a care aide at Sherbrooke where I had big shoes to fill. Frieda was an excellent care aide, establishing friendships with patients, family, and staff. Frieda once rescued an Alzheimer’s patient from freezing to death in the middle of the night. On her faithful nightly rounds, she noticed his bed was empty, searched the building and then going outside where she found him, confused, huddled up by the building in a snow bank, coaxing him inside, caring for his needs while saving his life. Frieda and I chatted lots when I was young, teaching me many of life’s necessary skills, about good health and importantly, being a Christian person, reading her Bible every day. Frieda’s special impact on my life was introducing me to her work colleague, a university summer student named George Watson. Frieda and George maintained a special, lifelong friendship. Frieda was my teacher and example of being a humble, caring, helpful supportive woman to her husband, family and community, no matter how she was treated. Frieda had challenges being the older sister to our brothers and has had discrimination because of this. But Frieda never became bitter or angry, a remarkable, admirable trait. She was an overcomer.

 

Sadly, on August 15, 2021, Frieda’s husband and life’s love, Ben passed away, shattering her world. But Frieda was an overcomer, picking up the pieces with God by her side, creating a new life with the support of her family, Heather and Dave Bueckert, Delores and Pete Friesen, the Prairie Meadow and Eigenheim families and surrounding communities.

 

Frieda is survived by her sisters Mary (Don) Johnston and Kathy (George) Watson; brother Henry, nieces, Nadine and Christa, nephews Daryl and Tony, many special great nieces and nephews, Rosthern, Prairie Meadow and Eigenheim Church friends, and many Bartel, Dyck and Ben’s Friesen cousins in Canada and Germany. She was predeceased by her husband Ben Unger, parents Henry and Mary (Dyck) Bartel step-mother Maria (Friesen) Bartel, brothers Peter, Johnny and Jack.

 

November 3^rd was All Saints Day in our church where we remember family and friends who have gone to heaven. That night, when I was having my daily phone chat with Frieda, we talked about the devotional George and I wrote for our Worship Team’s Communion Service at a long-term care facility in North Battleford the next day. It was about saints. Our devotional continued, “What is a Saint? The definition said a saint was someone set aside for God’s special purposes for them. It is someone who believes in God, trusts and believes what Jesus did on the cross for them, dying for their sins and thirdly, believes in Jesus, reading and following his words. The Beatitudes are inspiring words for saints.” The definition asked three questions. As I read the first one, “Do you believe in God?”  I heard Frieda answer, quietly, “yes”. Totally answering unsolicited.  “Do you trust and believe that Jesus died for your sins?” Frieda answered “yes”. “And the third question, “Do you believe in Jesus, reading and following his words?” Frieda answered more vehemently and louder, “yes!”  “Well Frieda, you’re a saint!” 

 

"Many women do noble things, but you (humbly) surpass them all…. A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring praise at the city gate.” Proverbs 31:29,30b

 

Thank you to Royal University Hospital, Emergency and 6^th floor Medical team and nursing staff and Rosthern Hospital Medical team and nursing staff for their compassionate, concerned and diligent end of life care for Frieda! Thank you to Ryan, DeAnne and Cathy, Funk’s Funeral Home for all their assistance. Our thanks are extended to Frieda’s communities in Rosthern/Eigenheim area for their kindness and caring for Frieda for the weekly, Sunday rides to church.

 

Frieda’s Celebration of Life

Friday, November 22, 2024

2:00 pm

Eigenheim Mennonite Church (12 km west of Rosthern on highway 312). 

Interment will be held in the Eigenheim Cemetery.

Pastor Rachel Wallace officiating.

Lunch to follow.

 

Live Stream Link for Frieda's Service (Click here)

 

In lieu of flowers and cards, please send memorial gifts to

MCC Saskatchewan - 600 45th St. West, Saskatoon, SK S7L 5W9

Rosthern Hospital, Box 88, Rosthern, SK  S0K 3R0

Canadian Cancer Society, 55 St Clair Ave W, Toronto, ON M4V 1N5

 

Arrangements entrusted to Funk's Funeral Home, Rosthern, SK

 

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