Erma Janzen

Erma Janzen knew that you had to squeeze the toothpaste tube along a hard countertop edge to get the most out of it. She saved everything, reused everything, mended and sewed everything. And she knew how to squeeze the most out of each day of her 90 years. She only recently started to send off friends and family with the wise phrase “Go slow, you’re making memories.”

Erma was the practical, kind and understanding mother that is the stuff of women only on Little House on the Prairie and the Waltons. She was the love of Walter’s life. For life. From age 15 to age 90, they functioned as a team. She deeply believed in family and, if you work together, you would win. With this belief, love and acceptance she turned her boys into the men that they are.

She loved her son’s wives knowing what it took to build a life with a Janzen man. (Be ready for anything and everything) She adored her grandchildren with the depth that only comes from losing a child of her own. She was tickled pink to have great grandchildren with their bubbling energy reminding her that life is fleeting.

Her creation of an entire community at Grandview Trailer Park in Ennismore lives on in countless other family’s memories and photos. These memories always included a smiling, line-dancing, joyful Erma. She led this family team at home and in a lifetime of businesses built and maintained by dedicated Walter, Bob, Tom and Wally.

She sure had fun with her friends, her golf girls and travelling in their motor home back and forth to Texas. She had that twinkling personality that just made everything a little more real and yet a slight bit lighter. None of us can name one person who met her and didn’t like her.

In recent years she spent her time doing the best she could to take care of Walter through his aging and illness seemingly oblivious to the fact that she was aging too. Until very recently she was still dusting shelves and organizing all the things. During her own recent illness in hospital she could be found walking the halls, making the beds of others and folding towels into tidy piles. She wanted things in their place and ready for when they were next required. In the end her big heart gave out but she was ready for whatever is required of her next.

Born in Manitoba

Married in St Catherine’s

Lived in the Kawarthas

Died in Peterborough

Survived by her husband Walter Janzen, Robert Janzen (Theresa)(their children: Haley and Olivia), Tom Janzen (Jenna)(their children: Kaitlyn and Justin, great-grandchildren Paisley and Ryder), Wally Janzen (Karen)(their children: Jayme and Wyatt)

Preceded in death by, and will be cremated and interred with, Daughter Darlene and will wait for Walter to join them before a celebration is planned.

No flowers, thank you. Go slow, you are making memories.

Entrusted to Comstock-Kaye LCC.