Tribute

Our dear sister and aunt passed away peacefully on the evening of Friday, January 15 at Valleyhaven Home in Chilliwack.

She was predeceased by her parents, Gerhard and Maria, brother Phillip, sisters Mary and Lena, brother-in-law Gerry (Megchelsen), sisters-in-law Dorothy and Lora, Katie (Sudermann), and nephew Gary (Martens).  She is survived by one brother, George, cousin Jake (Sudermann), and ten nieces and nephews and their families (Henry (Ellie), Ellie (John), Doug (Lynn), Carol, Brian (Candace), Rita (Ray), Vallerie (Antonio), Rosella (Johan), Ian (Heather), Maria (Ian)).

Aunt Margaret had an adventurous life filled with education, travel, career nursing, and spending time with family.

Margaret was the second daughter of Gerhard and Maria Dyck.  She was born in Stone, Saskatchewan, attending a one room country school for grades 1-10 and helping out on the family farm before taking a term at Swift Current Bible School.  In 1946 she moved with the family to Chilliwack.  Here she did seasonal work on berry farms, hopyards, and canneries, while attending Bethel Bible School in Abbotsford.  Moving back to the prairies, she did a summer of voluntary service at a Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Ninette. MB, then pursued a Practical Nurses Certification in Winnipeg.  Returning to Chilliwack, she worked at the hospital for a few months, finished her high school courses, then went north to work at the hospital in Burns Lake.  Back to Manitoba, Margaret studied at Canadian Mennonite Bible College in Winnipeg for one year, then returned to B.C. to obtain a 3-year Registered Nursing degree at Royal Columbia Hospital.  This was followed by work at hospitals in Terrace and Hope.

From 1968-71, Margaret followed God’s call to Taiwan to work as a missionary nurse.  Here she learned to speak Mandarin and made many friends.  Coming back to B.C., she worked as a nurse at Menno Home and Hospital in Abbotsford until she was called to another mission field.  From 1977-1988, Margaret worked at a clinic in Mexico, where she also got to spend some weekends with her brother Phillip and Lora and family in Cuauhtemoc.  Coming back to Abbotsford, she again worked at Menno Home, but spent some vacation time with Medical Group Missions serving in parts of Mexico and Belize.

Although she retired in 1992, she continued to take service opportunities with Mennonite Disaster Services, tutor English as a Second Language, volunteer at the MCC stores, and help make quilts with the ladies at Eden Mennonite Church.

Aunt Margaret was devoted to her family.  In her younger years she would take her nieces and nephews on trips, help her siblings with their children or household chores, make delicious Taiwanese meals, plan special family celebrations, and always bring gifts from her travels.  Later, she kept contact with family by phone or mail, helped her sisters as they aged, provided support when a sister-in-law received cancer treatments, and held a sister’s hand as she passed away.

Margaret was a strong woman with deep Christian convictions and a commitment to her church (Eden Mennonite).  She was not afraid to share her opinions but had a very caring heart.  She loved her family dearly and was very proud of her nieces and nephews and their families.   We are imagining a happy reunion in Heaven with Jesus and family members who are waiting for her.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”  Matthew 25:23a

Cremation has taken place with a family burial planned for a later time, when Covid restrictions allow.