Tribute

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Kornelius on Tuesday, November 17 at Cascade Lodge in Chilliwack after a recent decline in physical health together with an eight year struggle with dementia.  He will be sadly missed by all who loved him.  Kornelius was born in Nieder-Chortitza, Ukraine, the eldest son of six children born to Kornelius and Emilie (Schaubert) Neustaedter where they lived under great duress during Stalin’s rule until October 1943 when the family began their flight west to Germany.  During their trek the father was drafted and their mother took charge of the family’s journey. They eventually arrived safely in the west zone of Germany and after two years were reunited with the father.  In February 1948, the entire family moved to the Colony Neuland, Gran Chaco, Paraguay where they were thankfully safe but again life was difficult.  Kornelius and his siblings helped their parents establish a home and soon he met Wanda Klassen and in 1954 they were married and built their own homestead.  In 1956 Kornelius and Wanda emigrated to Canada, settling and later building a home in Kitchener, ON where for nine years they worked hard to establish themselves in their new country.  In 1965 the couple sold their home and moved to Vancouver, BC.   There they built their second home and this is when Kornelius with support from Wanda decided building was their future.  From 1967 to 1988 Kornelius built dozens of single family homes in the Vancouver area establishing Neustadter Construction Ltd. In 1970.  Wanda and Kornelius had a good life together, had many friends and were active members in the Sherbrooke Mennonite Church until Wanda’s death in 1989.   A few years after Wanda’s death Kornelius moved to Abbotsford.  After sixteen years of being without a partner, at the age of 75, Kornelius bravely married his second wife Margaret (Gow).  They were a perfect match and enjoyed the last 15 years together immensely, sharing many hobbies, good conversation with much joy and laughter.  Even with the onset of dementia in 1983 the connection remained warm and loving to the end.  Many times over the years he expressed his gratitude to Canada for giving him the opportunity to build his life (and Wanda’s) here.  Kornelius Neustadter is survived by his loving wife, Margaret (Gow), brothers Woldemar (Anyta), Henry (Hilde), and sister Kathy (Pete Peters) and many nieces and nephews.  He is predeceased by his first wife Wanda and two sisters Agnes Bergen and Elsie Braun.  The family would like to thank the staff at ARH and Cascade Lodge for their care and compassion and a special thank you to Robert Phillips for being Kornie’s faithful friend for 50 years.