KLASSEN, Helen

KLASSEN, Helen

October 7, 1920 - July 24, 2016

Passed away in Vancouver, BC. Predeceased by her husband, Peter; and son, Walter. She is survived by her son, Herman (Fay); daughter- in-law, Doreen (Walter); grandchildren, Victoria (Martin), Peter, Matthew, Sara (Paul); and great-grandchildren, Mason and Braden; three brothers; and one sister. Helen was a member at Killarney Park Mennonite Brethren Church at 6426 Kerr Street, Vancouver. A Memorial Service will be held there at 1:00 p.m. on August 13, 2016. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada.

Published in Vancouver Sun and/or The Province from Aug.5 to Aug.7, 2016

Helen and Pete Klassen, Walter, Herman	Helen, honoured Grandmother at granddaughter’s wedding

Mom’s Memorial by Herman

Thank you all for coming today to Helen’s memorial service. Thank you to the ladies of Killarney Park Church for visiting mom at Royal Ascot Care Centre and for leaving a note to say that you had visited. I appreciated that very much. I also thank the nurses, caregivers and staff at Royal Ascot Care Centre. You did so much to make mom comfortable and ease my mind knowing that she was being looked after.

Mom was a private person. She was content to stay home and lead a quiet and peaceful life. But I know mom always enjoyed their holidays when they would go fishing or traveling. Mom was not boastful but we always knew who caught the biggest fish by the grin on her face. When they went traveling with their camper or later with their trailer mom enjoyed the scenery, and seeing new places. She didn’t say much during their travels but she would sit quietly and take it all in. A lot of these travels were with Aunt Agnes and Uncle Ike.

Then they joined a trailer club and one year they went to Arizona during winter with the trailer club. This of course was over the Christmas season. When they returned we asked how they enjoyed their holiday. All in all they had a good time but mom said “we’re not doing that again”. She missed her family and grandchildren especially over Christmas. Christmas was the time to be home with family. So that was the one and only time they were away at Christmas.

Mom was smart. I came across her report cards. She attended Crystal Lake School in Alberta and in 1929 her marks in arithmetic were 97%, reading 80% class standing –second and she received a Certificate of Honour. In grade three arithmetic 92%, composition 80% spelling 89% and another Certificate of Honour. Then in 1932 she was promoted to the fifth grade with a note on her report card which read “Helen is being promoted to grade five on trial as she was not able to write exams due to the home being quarantined for measles”. This was the last report card I found and may have been her last year at school. She had to stay home to look after her younger siblings. Helen was the oldest of eleven children. It makes me wonder though what mom could have become if she had been able to complete her education and go on to university.

When Walter and I were still in high-school dad bought a boat so that we could go fishing and water skiing. So dad Walter and I would water ski and mom would sit on shore and watch. We tried to get mom to water ski but she kept saying no. One day she surprised us and said OK. So we put the life-jacket on her, gave her some instructions and away we went. Well you don’t expect someone to be successful on their first attempt and mom wasn’t nor was she successful on second, third or fourth attempts. But mom was determined. She would hang on to the rope handle and all you could see was the tips of her skis and the top of her head above the water. She wouldn’t let go of that rope until her arms got so tired she eventually had to let go. So we would circle around with the boat, toss her the rope and try again, and again and again. Finally she actually rose above the water. but two seconds later, splash, she was down again. That was it for her water skiing, but she gave it a try.

One summer mom and dad joined Fay and I and the kids for our summer holiday in Osoyoos. This was a lazy relaxing time although dad was quite bored. He couldn’t sit still. Mom on the other hand seemed quite happy to sit around, not to have to make meals three times a day and to just relax. We rented Seadoos and Matthew, Sara and I would go out on the lake and race around on the Seadoos. Mom would sit on the beach and watch. And then out of the blue she asked if I would take her out for a ride. So we put on our life-jackets and off we went. I took it slow at first, doing gentle turns. I yelled back and asked how she was doing. She said OK so I cranked it up a notch, going faster and doing more aggressive turns. Mom was still OK with this so I opened it up even more, faster and sharper turns. Then I did quite a sharp turn and swamped the boat and almost lost mom off the back. She almost pulled me off with her but we managed to stay on. Mom was soaking wet but had a grin from ear to ear.

When mom was living alone in the house, I would go every week to mow the lawn. I would get there before noon and go chat with mom for a bit. Then I would go mow the lawn but mom would ask if I wanted something to eat first. “No” I would say “I just had breakfast”. So I would go mow the lawn and while I was doing that mom would be inside making lunch. Now lunch was anything fried. Farmer’s sausage and potatoes fried with lard not vegetable oil. This was soul food not health food. So one day I said “you know mom you don’t have to use lard these days”. “I know”, she said “but I always had lard at home so that’s what I use”. Well I wasn’t going to argue. So, I thought I’ll start going in the afternoon so she doesn’t have to make lunch. I would arrive early in the afternoon, and would sit down and have a little chat with mom and then say, “I better go mow the lawn”. To which she would say, “Do you want something to eat first.” “No mom I just had lunch before I came”. But when I came in from mowing the lawn there would food on the table. She said “you better eat so you don’t get hungry on the way home” but mom I’ll be home in a half hour. I guess moms just like to be sure their families are fed.

So now dad and mom and Walter are together again and I can hear their conversation. Dad would say “Well you finally made it. What took you so long?” And then “Na Frau, now that you’re here how about putting on a cup of coffee and would you bake some Zwieback?”

And Walter would say “Come on mom, let’s go fishing.”

AND ALL IS WELL.