Helen Unrau

Obituary

Helen Unrau was born on July 21, 1922 in Silberfeld near Gretna. Her parents were Johann and Helena (Martens) Unrau. The first nine years of her life she lived with her parents and siblings close to both her maternal and paternal grandparents. Very early in life she learned many Christian principles and values both at home and at school. Prayers were very important and she learned to say a prayer at a very early age. (Christi Blut und Gerechtigkeit, das ist mein Schmuck und Ehrenkleid, damit will ich vor Gott bestehen wenn ich zum Himmel werd eingehen.)

Her mother passed away when she was eight years old and life began to change. Her dad remarried and moved the family to Gretna. They were on their own, removed from their close-knit community. Sunday School and public school were good and she made good progress.

Times changed. The depression set in. Everyone struggled due to drought, crop failure and grasshopper infestation and so did the Unrau family. Since money was scarce, the older children had to live with family relatives. Later on in life they had to work away from home to help support the rest of the family.

In her mid-teen years she began to think more and more about her early childhood years. Especially prominent were the memories of her mother and the Christian influence she’d had on her life. Helen started to question and to doubt God. Faith did not come easy after this. She needed to have proof and to prove everything. When times became very difficult she’d go outdoors at night and look into the sky. She tried to see God. Then she remembered her mother’s last words to her dad just before she died. “I am dying! I’m going home to heaven…you come, too…and bring the children.”

If her mother had believed so could she was her rational. Finally after searching for several years, she decided to enrol in catechism class at church. Here she received Christian and spiritual nurture, but still she struggled. She could not grasp that faith was a gift given by God. One day in exasperation she knelt beside her bed and cried out… “O, God, I don’t know how to believe!” At that moment God revealed Himself to her and blessed her with His reassuring love. Finally there was peace! She accepted Jesus as her Saviour and was baptized on the confession of her faith at the age of seventeen. Jeremiah 29:11-14

The desire to learn more about God and God’s Word led her to the Altona Bible Institute. Here she spent 16 months over a period of four years. It was truly what she needed. She learned about God and His Word. One very significant truth became very clear… and that was the meaning of the Great Commission. Matthew 28:18-20

She graduated from Bible School, went on to graduate from the MCI and became a certified teacher. Much later she attended the University of Manitoba and graduated with a degree in Pedagogy.

Helen taught school for 28 years. She taught at Alonsa, Matheson Island, the Hutterite colony, and from 1960-1983 in the city of Winnipeg, after which she volunteered to teach at Hopi Mission School with Mennonite Voluntary Services from 1983-1985.

She lived in North Kildonan from 1969-2024. Here she was a member and attended Douglas Mennonite Church and served as long as her health allowed. She taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, served alongside with “Helping Hands” and in the Thrift Shop, and also taught Daily Vacation Bible School.

She attended Mennonite conferences and always came home much blessed and inspired!

She is survived by her brother Nick (Marge) Unrau, sisters-in-law Helen Unrau and Lorna Unrau, and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents, four sisters and six brothers.

The funeral service will be held on Thursday, August 1st, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., at the Douglas Mennonite Church, Winnipeg, MB., with reception to follow.

The interment will take place at Sage Creek Cemetery (Mennonite Memorial Gardens), Springfield, MB.

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