Obituary of Martha Hiebert Reimer

Martha was born on the family farm at Twin Creek, near Blumenort, Manitoba on April 6, 1932. She was born during The Great Depression, the 13th child of Aron R. and Margaretha L. Reimer.

Martha attended Twin Creek School until grade 8. During her final year, her teacher asked her if she was a Christian. She began to think about where she would spend eternity and a few months later surrendered her life to Christ at a revival meeting in Steinbach led by Reverend Ben D. Reimer. This was the beginning of a personal relationship with Jesus which she nurtured for the rest of her life. She was baptized in the Blumenort EM Church.

Martha wanted to attend high school at Steinbach Bible Institute but her parents did not approve. This didn't deter her from getting an education and managed to complete grades 9, 10, and part of grade 11 at home through correspondence.

She secretly wished to become a teacher. This dream became a reality for her, when in September of 1952, her mother suggested she check with the Department of Education to see if there were still vacancies at any schools.

She accepted her first teaching assignment at McMillan School near Teulon.  She was a brave and determined 20 year-old, leaving her sheltered life for the unknown. Once she had acquired text books for the school and established order in the classroom, she very much enjoyed teaching.

With her father’s sudden passing in 1953, Martha returned home to live with her mother. She managed to complete grades 11 and 12 during this time.

Her mother’s remarriage resulted in relocation and a teaching job at Shakespeare School south of Landmark where she taught grades 1-3 during the 1954-1955 school year. 

Martha met Peter A. Hiebert, who was teaching at Blumenhof school in the Blumenort - Ridgewood area.  They met when a mutual friend invited our mother to join a planned road trip to Matheson Island. The trip proved to be quite an adventure and was the start of a relationship that eventually led to their marriage on July 8,1956.

After their wedding, Peter and Martha moved to Steinbach and joined the Steinbach Evangelical Mennonite Church.  They became involved in various ministries of the church.  Martha loved reading and served as a church librarian for many years.

Shortly after Randy was born, Peter and Martha built a home in what was at the time, a new development on Southwood Drive in Steinbach.  Here they added Dwight and Glenn to their family.  After three boys she gave up hope of ever having a girl and so was extremely happy when Rhonda was born. 

A family highlight was spending a few weeks each summer exploring and camping in parks in Canada and the U.S.A.

Once the children were in school, Martha started working part-time as the church secretary at the Steinbach EMC.  During this time Martha was offered a position at Steinbach Christian High School to teach typing.  Peter supported her by fixing and maintaining her eclectic collection of typewriters. 

She remained at SBC for over 20 years transferring from teaching to secretarial work.  Martha was a keen learner and she could be quite persistent.

When president Ben Eidse purchased the first computer for the college in the early 1980’s, it was Martha who took up the challenge of finding the right software and learning how to use it. 

Computer history buffs might be interested to know that the software she settled on was PC-File by Buttonware which was originally written to manage a church database.

Martha enjoyed sports and was knowledgeable about all the hockey, football, and curling teams.  She was not only a spectator, but enjoyed curling and was an avid golfer well into her eighties.

After the death of her husband Peter in 2001, she continued to enjoy golfing and traveling on her own or with friends.  She continued her love for reading and joined a book club.

In 2012 Martha became the wife to Edward P. Reimer.  Ed and Martha enjoyed each other’s company, spending time golfing and traveling together.  We were blessed to have Ed join our family.  He was good to Mom and we enjoyed his love for cooking and conversation. 

An annual highlight for us was Ed reserving cabins at Big Buffalo Resort at Falcon Lake for a weekend of family camping. Getting all of us together in one place is no small feat and his success at doing so reflects his ability to get things done.

Martha’s brothers and sisters and their families were very dear to her.  One way they remained connected was through “schwester kranzchen” translated "sister circle".  The ladies in the family who were within driving distance of Steinbach tried to meet together monthly to share in each other’s lives and have tea.

She also continued her relationships with Peter’s surviving siblings and their spouses.

Our mother passed away in the presence of her oldest son at the Resthaven Care Home in the early hours of February 2, 2024. She was 91 years old.

Martha was predeceased by her parents, her husband Peter A. Hiebert, her second husband Edward P. Reimer, son Dwight Hiebert, and all of her siblings and their spouses.

Martha is survived by her children: Randall (Sieglinde) Hiebert, Glenn (Shawna) Hiebert, Rhonda (Tony) Wolfe; and by five grandchildren: Jeremy, Mathew (Harry), Alexandra, Megan, and Ashlyn.

We would like to thank Dr. Duerksen for his compassionate care over the years, Homecare staff whom she considered to be her friends, and the staff at Bridgepark Manor. 

We especially want to thank the staff at Resthaven Care Home for their kindness, genuine compassion, and gentle care for our mother. These words really do not do justice to the wonderful support they gave our mother who could no longer take care of her own physical needs.

Thank you, too, to all the family and friends who made the attempt to visit our mother during the last few years.

The funeral service for Martha Hiebert will be held on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at Birchwood Funeral Chapel, Steinbach, MB., with viewing prior to the service. To join the family via livestream, please click HERE shortly before the service.