Virginia Dyck

Virginia Dyck, age 102, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 8, 2018 at the Herbert and District Integrated Health Care Facility, Herbert, SK. Virginia was born April 11, 1916 in Goessel, Kansas, the second of five children born to Peter & Katherina Unger. Her family lived in the United States for three years and in Europe for six years before settling permanently in Canada. Virginia was baptized on the testimony of her faith in Jesus Christ when she was 16. She graduated from the German-English Academy in Rosthern, SK in 1936 and from the Normal School Teacher Training in Moose Jaw, SK in 1937. She taught for two years at Lens East followed by two years near Gull Lake, SK, before managing a dairy in Osler, SK for one winter.

Not many would know that Virginia played a key role in the founding of Emmaus Mennonite Church, the predecessor of Zion Mennonite Church. In 1931, when she was 15, her father, Peter Unger, challenged her to round up children and teach them Bible stories, which she did at the Holiness Mission Church on 5th St. East. Even when Virginia left to pursue her teaching career, this fledgling church few.

On April 26, 1943 Virginia married Henry Reimer in the Mennonite Church in Swift Current, SK. They lived near Kindersley for three years, where Richard and Erwin were born, before moving to Herschel, SK for two years, and Gilbert was born in Rosetown, SK. The grasshopper plague in 1948 led them to move to Clearbrook, BC, where Virginia’s parents lived. On December 20, 1948 a truck accident took the life of Virginia’s father, Peter, and critically injured Henry, who passed away ten days later. Virginia’s mother, Katherina, cared for her three little boys while Virginia went to work in Abbotsford, BC.

In March 1953, Virginia married Henry B. Dyck after a divinely appointed and lightning quick courtship. They moved to his farm south of Swift Current in Dunelm and joined Henry’s five children – Ernest, Anne, Henry, Gertrude, and Helena – who were much older than Virginia’s boys. H.B. & Virginia started and operated the Harmony Service Station and Store two miles west of Swift Current from 1954 – 1967, where she and Ernest’s wife, Mary, baked bread and buns to be sold in the store. In 1967, the family moved to Swift Current, then to an acreage seven miles south of town in 1975. Henry B. passed away April 25, 1993. Virginia then sold the acreage and moved to Swift Current, where she lived in a mobile home a short while before moving to Heritage Towers. In July 2015, her sons moved her to Herbert Heritage Manor, where she lived until July 2018.

From 1995 to 2015, Virginia wrote many poems, which she shared with others. It was her ministry. At the end of one of her poems she wrote Jeremiah 20:9, “His Word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in – indeed, I cannot.” This defines her, enjoy your rest with Jesus.

Virginia is survived by her children, Richard (Sandy) Reimer, Erwin (Lisa) Reimer, and Gilbert Reimer; Henry B. Dyck’s children, Anne (Abe) Hiebert, Henry (Phyllis) Dyck, Helena (Ron) Swanson; her nine grandchildren; her seventeen great-grandchildren; her daughter-in-law, Mary Dyck; and by her numerous step-grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

The Funeral Service for Virginia Dyck was held on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 at 2:00 pm from Zion Mennonite Church, Swift Current, SK with Pastor Lois Bukar officiating. “Have I Done My Best for Jesus” and “He Hideth My Soul” were sung by the congregation, with Marion Dueck serving as pianist. Special music was brought by Notes of Praise, who played “In the Rifted Rock” and “Safe in the Arms of Jesus.” The obituary was read by Erwin Reimer. Tributes were given by Gilbert Reimer, Richard Reimer, and Lisa Reimer on behalf of Lyle and Erik Reimer. The Private Interment Service was held prior to the Funeral Service from Hillcrest Cemetery, Swift Current, SK with Richard Reimer, Erwin Reimer, Gilbert Reimer, Merlin Reimer, Marten Reimer, and Clint Funk serving as Pallbearers. In memory of Virginia Dyck, donations made to Gideons International or Compassion Canada would be appreciated by the family. 

Friends lose a loved one, so heavy a sorrow.

But there are sorrows more heavy, I feel.

False accusations, hate, condemnations.

Bitterness, sneerings, ugliest smearings.

Earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal!

Many a person is fearing the future.

“How will I answer this? How will I deal?”

Eyesight is going. Blindness is showing.

Bones that are breaking – nerves that are shaking.

Earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.

Many a person’s own marriage is going.

Modern conditions are awfully unreal.

Words that are cruel – red hottest fuel.

Cruelest bitings; angriest fightings.

Earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal!

Heaven can heal it. Few will believe it.

Few pay attention to something that’s real.

Yet my own Savior changes behavior,

Draws the attention, brings intervention.

Earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.

King of the Israelites, wicked Manasseh.

Fifty years practice to murder and steal,

Enemy bent him – captured and sent him

Out of his kingdom! Oh! How this would feel!

There they enslaved him. There the Lord saved him.

Earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.

Friends lose a loved one. So heavy a sorrow.

My most beloved – beside thee I kneel.

I feel forsaken – thou hast been taken!

Though you’re in heaven – to me it is given this sorrow to feel.

Now my own Savior soothes my behavior,

Heals my own heart again. Tells me the words again,

Earth hath no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.

By Virginia Dyck

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