Helen Kroeker

Helen Kroeker, nee Stobbe, was born in Krassikov, Neu Samara, the 3rd oldest of 10 children. Her family emigrated to Canada when she was 2 and while crossing the seas she contracted chicken pox, which resulted in her removal from the ship and being quarantined in England for 1 month with her mother and new baby brother, while her father and 2 older siblings were forced to continue the journey. Growing up on a farm in Croll, MB, she loved the country life, especially the adventures involved in bringing in the cows with her brother. At the age of 15 she was forced to find a job as a live in nanny to help her parents pay for the emigration to Canada as the loan had expired. Following this, Helen pursued nursing and became an RN in 1954 following her desire to help lonely and sick people and tell them the love of Jesus. An adventurer at heart, Helen and her best friend Marg Toews left Winterpeg to settle in Vancouver, working at Children’s Hospital and becoming involved in church and street ministry. Unknowingly that is where she would meet her lifelong sweetheart John Kroeker, a fellow Manitobian who had fled the cold. John proposed to her on Feb 14, 1956 and they were married June 30, 1956. Quickly children arrived and they purchased their 1st house in Vancouver, having 4 children, Paul, Ruth, Tim and Eunice. Helen continued working occasionally as an RN but was a homemaker at heart mastering everything from sewing to crocheting, gardening canning baking, everything from scratch and perfectly done. She retired in 1986 when they moved to Abbotsford. Helen was never idle, if she wasn’t caring for her family she was caring for neighbours or lonely needy people spreading God's love and feeding many! She always had an abundance of food and could be often heard saying, “have some more” passing the food around the table over and over to make sure no one went hungry! After John passed to glory in 2011 Helen continued to serve people in her apartment building however eventually her mind began to deteriorate and at the age of 90 came to live with Eunice for 3 years and then eventually went to full time care at the care home. She never stopped loving people and touching strangers lives with a touch and saying they were beautiful or she loved them or she’d be praying for them; even with dementia. She taught us to be strong in the Lord, to be courageous and never give up. What a sweet wonderful mother we had who pushed us to be the best person we could be, who never gave up on us, loved us unconditionally and prayed for us fervently; praying without ceasing! Along with her children she will be missed by her 7 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren and many others who look forward to meeting her again in heaven!