Susanna Driedger

Susanna Driedger (nee Krahn), age 96, passed away peacefully on the morning of Monday, May 2, 2016 at the Agape Hospice in Calgary, AB. Her proud heart simply became too tired to carry on any longer.  Susanna was born on August 20, 1919 near the village of McMahon, SK — the sixth of fourteen children born to John & Susanna (nee Wiebe) Krahn  —  the same day her two-year-old sister, Helena, was buried. She lived through the aftermath of WWI and the devastation of the dust bowl years that defined the 1930’s. Susanna followed her husband, John Driedger — whom she married on December 27, 1941 — to the East Coast of Canada and watched him sail across the ocean to serve in WWII. She gave birth to her first child, Ronald, in Truro, Nova Scotia. After the war, Susanna and her young family moved to Swift Current where Leslie was born. The expanding family then moved to the West Coast where she gave birth to twins, Lloyd and Donna. Much of Susanna’s life was filled with poverty, deprivation, hard physical work and great struggle which she faced head on with fierce determination and resolve. She found strength in her deep faith in God and did everything within her power to keep her family together. When her marriage disintegrated in the latter part of the 1950’s, her focus became centered on raising her four children in a God-fearing home. Susanna was highly intelligent but had little formal education — achieving grade eight after which, as was customary in her Mennonite community, she became another bread winner for the family. But the lack of “school smarts” never stopped her from learning and growing. Throughout her long life, Susanna continually sought to improve herself and her relationships. She was not afraid to say “That was wrong.  I need to change.” Then she would go about doing just that — she would change her approach or her perspective and move forward. In her 80’s, Susanna took piano lessons and learned to play a keyboard for her own entertainment. In her 90’s, she packed up her belongings and moved to Calgary — a new adventure, because there were still things to learn and experiences to enjoy. Susanna was predeceased by her husband, John Driedger; her youngest son, Lloyd (Irene) Driedger; and by her daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Driedger. Left on this earthly plane to celebrate Susanna’s long and eventful life are her sons, Ronald (Susan) Driedger, and Leslie (Marcia) Driedger; her daughter, Donna (Laurier) Driedger; her daughter-in-law, Irene (Lloyd, predeceased) Driedger; six grandsons and three granddaughters; nine great-grandsons and four great-granddaughters; three great-great-grandchildren; two younger sisters, Helen Wieler and Gertrude Krahn; and by one younger brother, Bernie Krahn. In all respects, Susanna was a trooper right up until she drew her last breath. Her deep faith, tenacity, orderliness and dedication to seeing a task through to its end inspired everyone with whom she came in contact. We now say, “You have fought a good fight, Susanna. It is your turn to rest.”

A viewing will take place at the Swift Current Funeral Home in Swift Current, Saskatchewan on Friday May 6, 2016 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  The funeral service will be held at the Christian Fellowship Church in Rhineland, Saskatchewan at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, 2016 with interment to follow at the Rosenort Cemetery.

Susanna requested that in lieu of flowers, you consider a donation to the Agape Hospice in Calgary, Alberta, where she received such wonderful care during the last weeks of her life. www.agapehospice.ca

You may also provide a gift to the Gideons who will be available in person at the funeral service.

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