Obituary of Ralph Raymond Klassen

OBITUARY Ralph Raymond Klassen was born September 25, 1944 to Edward and Mathilda Toews Klassen at Steinbach, Manitoba. He was the youngest in a family of 5 children. He passed away on March 31, 2015 at the Stettler Hospital Complex, reaching the age of 70 years. He courageously battled multiple myeloma and kidney failure for nearly 5 years. In spite of his need for dialysis, he lived his life to the fullest. Dad gave his heart to the Lord and was baptised on January 27, 1959 by Minister Joe Isaac at Linden, Alberta. Dad’s faith was precious to him and he enjoyed sharing it with others. Dad’s prayers brought God close and made Him real. His parents moved from Manitoba to Linden, Alberta when he was 8 months old. His growing up years were spent in various communities in central Alberta. Because his father was a contractor and built throughout the area, he attended schools in the Linden, Carstairs, Calgary and Acme areas. When he was 10 his family moved onto a farm in the Acme community. Dad married our mother, Karen Reimer, on June 22, 1969 at Crooked Creek Alberta. They lived and farmed near Linden the first 8 years, where their oldest 4 children were born. Then, in 1977, they moved to Stettler, Alberta, where their last two children were born. It was a great joy to him to see his family serving the Lord. Dad worked as a carpenter for his father in his teens and as a young man, building cabinets and doing finish carpentry. Although Dad loved woodworking, he chose farming as his vocation. When they moved to Stettler, Dad and Mom built the family farm from undeveloped land, raising hogs, cattle, and grain. Dad had a special love for the land and raising crops. Harvest was a favorite time of the year for him. Even after he retired because of his health, he still loved to drive combine and grain cart. Dad enjoyed working with numbers and still helped Jeff and Russ with the farm books until the last few months. Dad loved people and never knew a stranger. Mom and Dad’s door was always open and our family has made many special friends as a result of their hospitality. Dad was super organized and time conscious to a fault. His watch was an extension of himself. His sense of adventure and daring was finely honed to the point that we as a family were sometimes embarrassed and nervous. However this provided some of our family’s most memorable experiences. Singing was also a vital part of Dad’s life. Many hours were spent singing as a family or in quartet groups. To him it was both a pleasure and a means of service. Family time was important whether it was working together or playing games. He also made it a priority to take Mom and the family on regular family vacations, often travelling to new places and congregations. His grandchildren were a very special part of his life. A highlight of his life was the 12 years he spent on the Gospel Tract Board. He always said it was a privilege to be able to serve on a church board and work together with other dedicated members. He also enjoyed the opportunity to travel and investigate new countries. He spent much of his time focusing on Myanmar and China, travelling overseas numerous times to these countries. His time spent on the tract “The Room” was of special significance. Service, in whatever capacity he was asked, was extremely important to him and was carried out with enthusiasm, energy, and organization. Disaster Relief and our private school effort were close to Dad’s heart. We as a family would like to thank Dr. Vogel and Dr. Jim for the loving care they gave Dad these past years. We also want to thank the staff at both the Stettler and Red Deer Hospitals and Stettler and Castor EMS. Their compassion is appreciated. Dad will be greatly missed by his wife, Karen; sons: Russell (Tracy), Darcy (Kelley), Jeff (Mandy) all of Stettler; daughters: Gloria (Gordon) Holdeman of Elma, Iowa; Sharon (Wendel) Toews of Stettler; and Shelley (Anthony) Toews of Halbstadt, MB; 17 grandchildren. We envision that Dad was met on the other side by his grandsons, Gideon and Riley. He is survived by his sister Jean (Allen) Reimer of Linden, AB; brothers: Melvin (Joyce) Klassen of Stettler, Bob (Gerry) Klassen of Enderby, B.C. and Phil (Carol) Klassen of Vanderhoof, B.C. brothers-in-law Stan (Laurette) Reimer of Crooked Creek, AB, Sherwin Reimer of Grande Prairie, AB; sister-in-law Lois Reimer of Crooked Creek, AB; nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many friends. He was predeceased by his parents, parents-in-law, and one sister-in-law. Funeral Service Sunday, April 5, 2015 at 11:00 AM Church Of God In Christ, Mennonite Stettler, Alberta Memorial Donations may be made to SHSF- Stettler Health Services Foundation – Renal Dialysis Unit or choice. Stettler Funeral Home & Crematorium