Frieda Fast

August 11, 1926 – March 1, 2019

Frieda Fast was born on August 11, 1926 near Main Center, Saskatchewan to Alexander and Katharina Fast, one year after they had emigrated from the Soviet Union with Frieda’s sisters, Gertrude and Katherine.

Frieda spent her early years in Moosehorn, Manitoba and was baptized in 1943 in Niverville, Manitoba. Upon graduating from MCI in 1945 and after attending a 6-week teacher training course, she began her teaching career in a one room school in St. Anne, Manitoba.

She moved to BC in 1947 with her family and joined the Greendale MB Church where she has been a member for almost 72 years. She attended Normal School in Vancouver and resumed her teaching career in 1949 in Abbotsford. She began teaching in the Chilliwack School District in 1955 and taught primary grades at Yarrow, Greendale, Kipp, and Chilliwack Central Elementary Schools.

In 1978 she began teaching Kindergarten at Sardis Elementary and continued until her retirement in 1985.

Following her retirement, she traveled extensively, including to the USSR, and then cared for her aging mother until her mother’s death in 1999. Frieda continued serving as a deacon at Greendale MB and spent much time visiting aging members of the church as well as visiting friends and relatives across Canada and Germany. She enjoyed living at her town house in Hazelwood until 2017 when she moved to Birchwood Retirement Home. In her last year she struggled with memory loss and poor health which led her to Heritage Village where she spent her last weeks.

As a family we rejoice that she is now free from all suffering and is with her Saviour. She was predeceased by her parents, her sister Gertrude Driediger, brothers-in-law Jake Driediger and Elvin Neufeld, niece Brenda Neufeld, and nephew Roger Neufeld. She is survived by her siblings Katherine (Peter) Harder, Johanna Neufeld, John (Mary) Fast, Helen Fast, and David (Shirley) Fast, 15 nieces and nephews, and many grand and great-grand nieces and nephews.

Celebration Service were held on Friday, March 15, 2019 at 1 pm at Greendale MB Church, 6550 Sumas Prairie Road. Interment at Greendale Cemetery at 12 noon.