Tribute

Emelie was born in Saskatoon, moving to Vancouver in 1944, then to Surrey, Burquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, and Oliver (3 years here where her dad built a church), then back to Surrey. She finished grade 10 at Queen Elizabeth then went to work at BC Tel in Newton, as a telephone operator, before marrying Everett in 1959. They raised their family in North Surrey before moving to Abbotsford in 1992, becoming chicken farmers. They then moved to Aldergrove in 2013, and in 2022 Emelie moved to Worthington Pavilion, Abbotsford where she passed into the presence of her Lord and Saviour, with the most beautiful smile on her face!

Emelie is survived by husband Everett; children Sandra (Chris) Riley, Colleen (Paul) Greenhalgh, Richard (Shari) Friesen, Debbie (Darrell) Bremner and Robert (Jennifer) Friesen; grandchildren, Adam (Hailey), Jason (Sarah), Jordan and Jennifer Riley, Diana and Joe (Miranda) Greenhalgh, Jamie (Karissa) and Alysha Friesen and Shauna (Richard) van Dyck, Mitchell and Russell (Stephanie) Bremner, Joshua Robert (Victoria) and Sarah Friesen. Also survived by great grandchildren, Mason, Emma, Sheadon, Maverick, Autumn, Jones, Oliver, Callahan, Hadley and Miller; sisters Shirley Hildebrandt, Velma McGillivray, and Joy (Bob) Anderson; brother-in-law Isbrandt Friesen; special cousins Ken and Rae Harder, and many nephews and nieces. She was predeceased by her infant daughter Christine, her parents Rev. Jacob W and Josephine (nee Kirby) Harder, sisters Dorothy Oberg, Pearl Davis, Hazel and Ethel Friesen, brothers Ron, Harold and George Harder.

Emelie was a quiet, gentle, selfless soul, and always showed care and concern for others. She was close to her daughters supporting them individually, she also was a supporter of her boys in sports -a true hockey mom. And like her mother, mom was a prayer warrior for her family. Thanks mom, we’ll never forget.

A Celebration of Life will be held Monday, July 28, 2025, at Clearbrook Mennonite Brethren Church, Abbotsford at 1pm