Loewen, George H. (1931-2021)
George Henry Loewen: treasurer and accountant, community leader; born 1 November 1931 to Heinrich Loewen (20 August 1904, Alexanderthal, Molotschna Mennonite Settlement, South Russia – 22 September 1977, Soviet Union) and Elisabeth Louise (Wiens) Loewen (9 February 1908, Kleefeld, Molotschna – 27 August 1988, Vancouver, British Columbia). The couple had four children, of whom George was the second oldest. On 26 June 1959, George married Herta Agnes Thielmann, daughter of Gerhard G. Thielmann (1909-1991) and Agnes (Toews) Thielmann (1909-1991). George and Herta had four children: Evelyn, Leona, Ruth, and George Jr. George Loewen died 22 April 2021 in Abbotsford, British Columbia.
George was born on a collective farm in the Soviet Union during a time when food was scarce. George was born with a cleft palate, which required numerous surgeries during his lifetime. His father worked as head accountant on the collective farm, while his mother was employed in the dairy. After German forces invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, all men in the area over the age of 18 were seized and evacuated eastward, including George’s father.
A period of relative peace occurred for the villagers after German forces took control of Ukraine. Soviet forces counterattacked, however, and George and his family joined a wagon train that followed the retreating German military westward in 1943. The Loewen family survived cold, hunger, and harassment by pursuing Soviet troops, and arrived in Poland in what was then called the Wartegau. In 1945 the Loewens once again fled into western-held territory in Germany. Eventually, they found shelter in a refugee camp in Gronau, Germany where, with the help of C. F. Klassen and Mennonite Central Committee, mother Elisabeth signed up the family to sail for Paraguay along with other Mennonite refugees. Klassen, however, knew some of their Canadian relatives, who agreed to sponsor the Loewen family. They immigrated to Canada in 1948.
The Loewen family docked at Pier 21 in Halifax and then travelled in unaccustomed luxury by train to Chilliwack, British Columbia. Here George attended East Chilliwack Bible School, while simultaneously learning the plaster and stucco trade. By 1958, with only a Grade 4 education, George Loewen was able to start his own plaster firm. He also displayed a natural aptitude for numbers, and began a series of accounting jobs. In 1959, George married Herta Thielmann and moved to Clearbrook (Abbotsford), British Columbia that same year.
In the mid-1950s, George was among the founding organizers of Tabor Home (later, Tabor Village) and of the Clearbrook District Mennonite Savings Credit Union. Even while working Loewen was intimately involved with these institutions. He sat on the Credit Union board for thirty-five years and served a term as president. Herta and George worked as "administrative couple" at the Tabor Home for 12 years. George was also involved with the Clearbrook Waterworks administration.
George worked in accounting for the BC Mennonite Brethren Conference, as well as doing work for Columbia Bible Institute (later, College) for nine years. He particularly enjoyed personal contact with CBI students. He and Herta attended various Mennonite Brethren churches over the decades, including Clearbrook, Lake Errock, and South Abbotsford. They were consistently actively involved in the activities of their churches, serving as deacons and helping with catering. George also assisted with his accounting skills.
In the 1960s, decades after George’s forcible separation from his father, a letter arrived from Heinrich Loewen, who had survived and was living in the Soviet Union. Heinrich travelled to Chilliwack to reunite with his wife, Elisabeth, but the time of separation had been too long and difficult. The couple did not resume their marriage, and Heinrich Loewen returned to the Soviet Union.
George and Herta visited Germany in their retirement years, reconnecting with relatives. Germany sometimes brought back horrific memories to George of his refugee years. Those years certainly shaped him: he was a gentle-hearted man who was determined to help and to alleviate suffering. George died in Abbotsford in 2021.
Bibliography
Loewen, George. "Story of George Henry Loewen." 2010. Personal papers.
Loewen, Herta Thielmann. Interview by author. Abbotsford, BC. (4 December 2021).
"Obituary: George Henry Loewen." Dignity Memorial. 2021. Web. December 2021. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/abbotsford-bc/george-loewen-10164810.
| Author(s) | Robert Martens |
|---|---|
| Date Published | December 2021 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Martens, Robert. "Loewen, George H. (1931-2021)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. December 2021. Web. 27 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Loewen,_George_H._(1931-2021)&oldid=172768.
APA style
Martens, Robert. (December 2021). Loewen, George H. (1931-2021). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 27 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Loewen,_George_H._(1931-2021)&oldid=172768.
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