Reimer, Susanna Loewen Dueck (1852-1918)
Susanna Loewen Dueck Reimer: Mennonite pioneer; born on 7 October 1852 in the Molotschna Mennonite Settlement of South Russia. She was the second of three children born to Peter Loewen (1825-1887) and Susanna Enns (1824-1857). On 6 December 1870 Susanna was baptized in the Kleine Gemeinde, of which she remained a member for the rest of her life. She married Peter L. Dueck (1842-1887) on 1 January 1871 and as a young family they immigrated to Canada in 1874. They settled in Manitoba where they helped to found the village of Grünthal.
Susanna's husband Peter L. Dueck taught in the village school, farmed and also became a book seller. He also served the Kleine Gemeinde as a songleader (Vorsänger). Together, Susanna and Peter L. Dueck had eight children, of whom five daughters survived to adulthood. During their early years in Canada, three of their sons died in infancy. Peter L. Dueck became ill very suddenly in 1887 and died at the age of 44.
Despite her grief, Susanna persevered and did not lose her natural sense of optimism. When she received a proposal of marriage from an elderly widower after two years of widowhood, Susanna is reported to have told her daughters, "I believe that younger men are available. I’ll wait." A little later, at the age of 37, Susanna married 19-year-old Peter R. Reimer (1870-1946). Together they had three children--two of whom survived to adulthood. In addition they raised Susanna's grandson, Peter D. Brandt, after his mother, Susanna’s second daughter Anna, died in 1905. Susanna and Peter R. Reimer shared 28 years together. Susanna Reimer died on 16 April 1918.
Susanna was a courageous Mennonite pioneer woman who was able to weather the hardships and struggles of frontier life. She was an intelligent woman of faith who was able to face the ever-changing circumstances of her life with good humor and a positive outlook.
Bibliography
Kroeker, Harvey. "Susanna Loewen Dueck Reimer (1852-1918)." Preservings No. 10 Part II (June 1997): 54.
| Author(s) | Sharon H. H Brown |
|---|---|
| Date Published | June 2006 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Brown, Sharon H. H. "Reimer, Susanna Loewen Dueck (1852-1918)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. June 2006. Web. 19 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Reimer,_Susanna_Loewen_Dueck_(1852-1918)&oldid=77177.
APA style
Brown, Sharon H. H. (June 2006). Reimer, Susanna Loewen Dueck (1852-1918). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 19 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Reimer,_Susanna_Loewen_Dueck_(1852-1918)&oldid=77177.
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