It is with great sadness that the family of Gerda Seidler announces her passing on November 3rd, 2018 at the age of 82 after a brief battle with cancer.

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Gerda will be lovingly remembered by her daughters; Esther (Stacy) and Arleen (Randy); son Derreck (Erika); grandchildren Jasmin, Tabatha, Kayla, Declan and Lina; great grandchildren Kirk, Ruby, River, Keenin, and Corban; sister Jutta; and her family in Germany.

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Gerda was born on September 27th, 1936 to Heinrich Kemena and Karoline Kurlbaum in Oberlubbe, Germany. She immigrated to Winnipeg in 1959, with her first husband Gerhard. 

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Gerda met Arno Seidler in Winnipeg and they married in 1969. They were married for 48 years until Arno’s passing in February of 2017.

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In Gerda's earlier years in Canada she would travel to Germany regularly to spend time with her sister, nieces and nephew; Gerwin, Britta and Inga. Gerda worked at the Tache Nursing Centre as a Health Care Aide for over 25 years, retiring in 1999. After her retirement she moved to Rennie for 4 years before moving to St.Pierre where she lived until the end of her life.

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In her later years, Gerda preferred to stay close to home. Fortunately, she was still able to stay close to her family in Germany, with Jutta and Inga managing to make the trek to Winnipeg two years ago to surprise her for her 80th birthday. 

Oma loved spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her candy jar was always full, the little ones quickly learned where she kept it and that she never said no.

Mom was a great cook, often sticking to traditional German dishes, but became more experimental by trying new dishes and baked goods that she saw on cooking shows or in Martha Stewart magazines. When Oma would drop in, she never arrived empty handed. Whether it was a homemade pflaumenkuchen or treats from the German store.

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Mom was also known for her impeccable ironing skills. Crisp shirts, bed linens, table cloths, napkins; she ironed everything! If you left her in a room with a laundry basket full of clean clothes, you could guarantee everything would be meticulously folded and possibly even pressed by the time you returned. 

During the summer months, she spent much of her time gardening. Oma spent many days harvesting the vegetables, tending to her flowers and tilling up the soil by hand with her two best friends; pitchfork and spade. Mom always enjoyed; reading, needlepoint and knitting. We all have an endless supply of socks, mitts and toques that will not only keep us warm during the winter but will forever act as a reminder of our beloved Mom/Oma.

During the last couple months of life, Mom stayed incredibly strong, which is a true testament to who she was as a wife, mother, sister, Oma, tante, and friend. She was still joking around with her family and being silly with her grand babies up until the last few days of her life.

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We invite you to join us for kaffee, tee und kuchen at the celebration of Gerda’s life which will be held at 2:00 PM, Thursday, November 15, 2018 at the Hidden River Country House 3615 Main Street, West St. Paul.

 

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Crohn's and Colitis Canada or Cancercare Manitoba.