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- Mom grew up and attended school at Berlettes Corner. At age 14 she had to quit school to start working. She worked at a number of different homes in the neighbourhood learning many of the skills she would continue to use…cooking, baking, gardening, childcare, midwifery and care of the dying.
As a young woman she moved to Kitchener to work for Dr. Wilson for about ten years. She often talked about her time there. Besides enjoying the work, she liked going to the beach with the Wilson Family. At this job she gained many nursing skills that she used throughout her life.
While working for the Wilson's she attended Ontario Mennonite Bible School. She enjoyed studying the Bible and knew her Bible well. She read it through many times.
During the Second World War she worked for MCC packaging relief supplies for overseas. While she lived in Kitchener she attended First Mennonite Church where she met Dad. They were married in 1947. They moved to her parents farm where they raised their six children. Besides raising her family she cared for her parents, especially her mother who was on crutches most of her life and needed extra care.
Mom provided childcare for many neighbourhood children. She was very hospitable. Her door was always open for anyone needing a meal, adviceor a bed.
She had a garden and canned or froze all the produce. Nothing went to waste. No tin cans or microwave dinners at her house! She was very handy with the sewing machine. She sewed the clothes for her family as they were growing up! Alongside all the household work she was indispensable to the farm operation. She washed and candled zillions of eggs. When she took a break she enjoyed handwork – knitting, quilting and tatting. She never complained about her lot in life.
As her children grew and married she warmly welcomed their spouses into her family. She was a loving grandmother to 15 grandchildren whoshe enjoyed teaching how to play figmill.
In the early 80's Mom and Dad moved to a new home a mile south on the cheese factory property. Here she continued her life but at a more relaxed pace.
She lived there until she was hospitalized for about a week. She lived a full and healthy life.
- (Research):Mrs. Harold (Nelda) Cressman died peacefully on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 at St. Mary's Hospital, Kitchener. Nelda (Wagler) Cressman of RR1 St. Agatha. Nelda was born in Wilmot Township February 23, 1914.Daughter of the late Joseph Wagler and the late Mary Lichti. She was amember of Shantz Mennonite Church where she was active with the W.M.S.C. and was a former Sunday School Teacher. Loving wife of Harold Cressman for 55 years of RR 1 St. Agatha. Dear mother of David and his wife Eva Cressman of RR 1 Wellesley, Dorothy Cressman of RR 1 St. Agatha, James and his wife Marilyn Cressman RR 1 St. Agatha, Esther and Dave Bergen of Steinbach, MB, Floyd and his wife Norma Cressman of RR 1 Walkerton, Ron and his wife Sheila Cressman of Wellesley. Dear sister of Alvin and his wife Miriam Wagler of Milverton, Mary Brunk of Brunner, Hilda and Clinton Bechtel of Cambridge and Eileen and Aaron Horst of RR 1 Elmira. Lovingly remembered by the Cressman family, 15 grandchildren, also by a sister-in-law Beulah and Phil Shephard ofLondon. Predeceased by 2 brothers Harvey and John Wagler, also by 3 sisters Almeda Klassen, Barbara Kuepfer and Idella Wagler. Visitation at the Futher Bros. Funeral Home, 1172 Henry St. in Wellesley, where family and friends were received on Wednesday and Thursday. The funeral service was conducted at the Shantz Mennonite Church on Friday, January 17, 2003 at 2 p.m. Pastor Jim Loepp Thiessen officiated. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Obituary:
- Mrs. Harold (Nelda) Cressman died peacefully on Tuesday, January 14, 2003 at St. Mary's Hospital, Kitchener. Nelda (Wagler) Cressman of RR1 St. Agatha. Nelda was born in Wilmot Township February 23, 1914.Daughter of the late Joseph Wagler and the late Mary Lichti. She was amember of Shantz Mennonite Church where she was active with the W.M.S.C. and was a former Sunday School Teacher. Loving wife of Harold Cressman for 55 years of RR 1 St. Agatha. Dear mother of David and his wife Eva Cressman of RR 1 Wellesley, Dorothy Cressman of RR 1 St. Agatha, James and his wife Marilyn Cressman RR 1 St. Agatha, Esther and Dave Bergen of Steinbach, MB, Floyd and his wife Norma Cressman of RR 1 Walkerton, Ron and his wife Sheila Cressman of Wellesley. Dear sister of Alvin and his wife Miriam Wagler of Milverton, Mary Brunk of Brunner, Hilda and Clinton Bechtel of Cambridge and Eileen and Aaron Horst of RR 1 Elmira. Lovingly remembered by the Cressman family, 15 grandchildren, also by a sister-in-law Beulah and Phil Shephard ofLondon. Predeceased by 2 brothers Harvey and John Wagler, also by 3 sisters Almeda Klassen, Barbara Kuepfer and Idella Wagler. Visitation at the Futher Bros. Funeral Home, 1172 Henry St. in Wellesley, where family and friends were received on Wednesday and Thursday. The funeral service was conducted at the Shantz Mennonite Church on Friday, January 17, 2003 at 2 p.m. Pastor Jim Loepp Thiessen officiated. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
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