Agatha Sawatzky

Agatha Braun was born on July 24th, 1925, near Rush Lake, Saskatchewan, to Jacob J & Agatha Braun, the third born of nine children. Her family stayed in Rush Lake from April to September of that year, just shy of 6 months. The family of five would then move to a farm near Beechy, Saskatchewan where she would live for the rest of her childhood. Agatha’s siblings would be lifelong companions to her.

I am sure we have all heard stories of Agatha’s childhood and would each have our own thoughts to share today. One such story I remember is how thrilled and nervous she was to start school. The Neasden one room schoolhouse was 2.5 miles north of her home. At the age of 6, she was sent with John and Henrietta to school. Although I don’t know the details of the day, I can imagine a little girl with her lunch pail obediently following her brother and sister down the dusty trail. She told me she asked Henrietta many questions before that first school day. Her sister’s main advice was to never speak German out loud, or the teacher would scold and punish you. Agatha, not knowing a word of English went from thrilled and nervous to terrified rather quickly. She said she did not speak much that first year. When I asked her more about school, she had fond memories of two school chums and the joy of learning to read! Reading was a passion for my grandmother, and we would discuss books endlessly together. Her love of reading far outshone her interest in television. We would all do well to follow her example. I would ‘pop over’ to her house often and catch her deep into a book. She read all kinds of stories but also was committed to reading her devotions. She never missed a copy of My Daily Bread, and her Bible was well used.

Upon completing eighth grade she stayed home for several years helping her mother with the household work and honing her craft as a cook and baker. She always professed that Henrietta was the seamstress and she was the cook. Learning by doing is always the best way to gain experience and being in a family of 11 would give Agatha all the practice she needed. Also, people liked to go visiting on Sundays and making a meal for 20 people was not an unlikely scenario. These years of kitchen work would serve Agatha well as she continued to host family and friends in her home for decades to come.

In 1947, at the age of 23, Agatha married Jac Sawatzky. The wedding was in Beechy, Saskatchewan and the whole church congregation was invited! The newly weds would live near Main Centre in their first home. She remembers this time in her life as happy, but full of hard work. With no appliances or running water the chores were never done. They would welcome children Amy in 1952, Eva in 1953, and Jim in 1954. With no running water and endless nappies, I can imagine the days were beyond busy. A change would come when they moved to Herbert in 1960. Agatha was beside herself with relief when a washing machine came through the door, followed by an electric stove! In 1964 another baby boy was born. Bob would be the final child for Agatha and Jac.

The next ten years would be full of raising children and gathering with family and extended family. The number of cousins seems endless to me, and I cannot even begin to keep track of them all. I do know that my own Dad says that Sunday visits were a regular occurrence and that there were children of all ages. Being a young mother myself, I can imagine the women of these families were kept busy.

The word adventurous would not be the first word Agatha brings to mind … but she did have an adventurous side. At the age of 40, Agatha practiced and went for her road test. She was successful and would drive for the next 50 years! She told me that three other Herbert women and herself would practice with an instructor. She remembers the first time driving on the Number One Highway she felt like she was going to fast. How amazing that she was brave enough to acquire this skill. She would be the ‘driver’ for her friends for years to come. Zelda, Stella and others were often roaming the countryside. They loved their country drives and would often be on the backroads.

Life would shift, as it always does, when Jac passed away in 1974. My grandmother was the most stoic woman I have ever met and never spoke of this time in her life to me, but it shaped the woman I knew.

Agatha lost her husband, my grandfather, 51 years ago. With the help of her children, she went on to live a full life. Many weddings, and grandchildren would come into her world. She loved and cherished each one of us. She showed her love with food and conversation. We will all have fond memories of her house and the smells that came from it. We will remember the quiet way she would scold us, and the fun getting a dollar and going to the store for candy. We will remember that wrap around bench in her kitchen, and how in that tiny room so many German pancakes, cottage cheese pierogies, farmer sausages, sour leaf soup, ammonia cookies, cinnamon buns, chocolate cake with caramel icing, and endless other delicacies came our way. The only secondary education Agatha was ever afforded, her teen years in a farmhouse, would go on to bless three more generations.

Although never prone to big shows of emotion, I know she cared for each one of us. We, those honoring her life today, were her life’s work. Agatha Braun Sawatzky was a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend. However, these titles were not the center of her life. At her core was her faith. She was a follower of Christ and taught her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren the importance of following the Lord. What an amazing legacy to leave behind after a rich 100 years of life.

God Bless you Grandma.

Written by: Amy Bouchard

(Agatha’s granddaughter, and Jim & Marilyn’s daughter)

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