Eva (Friesen) Buhr

Our beloved Mom, Eva Buhr, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at Portage General Hospital, at the age of 93 years.

Eva was born on October 16, 1930, in the Village of Schoenfeld, Saskatchewan, to parents Abram and Elizabeth Friesen.

Her childhood years were spent in the village, attending school and spending time with her dad in his repair shop. At the age of seven, Mom assumed most of the household duties, including milking the cow and doing the gardening, due to her mother’s failing health.

Mom accepted Jesus as her Saviour at a young age and was baptized in the spring of 1949 in the Sommerfeld Church in Schoenfeld. She had met William Buhr during a visit to Manitoba in 1948, and they were married on July 24, 1949. They were blessed with 6 children whom they raised on their small mixed farm. Times were often difficult, but they raised enough cows, chickens, and pigs to feed their growing family. Mom also had a large garden every year, harvesting and preserving lots of produce to last through the winter. Mom worked hard, milking cows in the morning before getting us off to school, and cooking and baking wonderful food for all of us. Even though money was scarce, somehow Mom always provided an abundance of delicious food for her family!

In 1995, our dad passed away, shortly after our parents moved to Austin. Although Mom was very lonely, she blessed many others in the community with her gracious hospitality. Mom also volunteered at Gladstone and Macgregor Personal Care Homes on a weekly basis, reading aloud and having Bible study with the residents.

After 8 years of living alone, Mom married Edmund Buhr on April 26, 2003, blending our families. After 18 years of marriage, Edmund Buhr passed away on September 16, 2021. During the years he was a resident in the Care Home, Mom drove to MacGregor almost every day to visit him, even at the age of 91, providing loving support and lots of cookies.

Mom treasured her family and was always interested in our lives, attending graduations, birthdays, and weddings as long as her health allowed. She loved making special meals and knew exactly what each of us liked best. She always expressed her gratitude for our visits and the things we gladly did for her.

After Edmund became a resident of the Care Home, Mom sold her house and moved to a duplex just down the street. She enjoyed her new home and was greatly blessed by the many friends and family members who came to visit. Mom also enjoyed reading, playing table games with her friends, and writing numerous articles which were published in The Senior Paper. She faithfully read her Bible and prayed for all of us, and her great desire was for every member of the family to meet her in heaven someday. She lived independently until the afternoon of February 23rd, when she suffered a stroke and was admitted to Portage Hospital.

The ensuing four weeks were difficult ones for Mom. She suffered 2 more strokes and struggled with the loss of her mobility and independence. She longed to go home to be with Jesus and waited every day for His angels to come and pick her up. During her stay in the hospital, she talked to many staff members about Jesus. Even the evening before she was called home, she expressed concern that she may have missed someone, and was still thinking of others during her final hours.

Mom was predeceased by her parents, one brother, two sisters, and 6 siblings in infancy. She was also predeceased by her first husband William, her second husband Edmund, granddaughter Kimberly, grandson Joe, great-grandson Liam, and daughter-in-law Wendy Mae.

She is survived by her children:

• Raymond James (Beverly), their children Michael (Robin) and Eric; son-in-law Raymond Hofer and his children Drew, Carter, and Riley

• Laura June Loeppky (John)

• Lawrence Edwin, his son Greg (Jodi) and their children Benjamin and Jorja; daughter-in-law Ainsley Armstrong and her children Brooklyn, Shane, Camryn and Nathan

• Garry Wayne (Myrna), their children Ryan (Rachel) and their children Grace, Olivia, Adelynn; Ken (Alyia), and their children Roman and Autumn; Juanita Neufeld (Jason) and their children Alleina, Halle, and Charlotte

• Vernon Dean

• Wendy Joyce Nikkel (Rod), their children Jesse (Kayla) and their daughter Rosa; Dustin and Tyler

• Stepdaughter Anita Jerry (Stan), and their daughters Rebecca and Kirsten

• Stepdaughter Gloria Geddert (Larry), their children Jesse, Jenny Chu (Pei), and their children, Matthias, Logan, and Emerson

She is also survived by 2 sisters-in-law, her nieces and nephews, and many friends.

The family would like to express our appreciation to the staff of Portage General Hospital for their kind, compassionate care of Mom during her 4-week stay. We also thank Clarke’s Funeral Home for their caring service to our family during this difficult time.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Faith Mission, 520 Circle K Drive, Winkler, MB R6W 0K4.

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him”.

 1 Corinthians 2:9