Esther Martens (nee Stoesz)
Obituary
Esther Martens (nee Stoesz), born April 25th, 1947 at the Ste. Anne Hospital, passed on to her final resting place, Tuesday, April 8th, 2025 at Bethesda Regional Health Centre, Steinbach, MB – only a few weeks before her 78th birthday.
Her parents, George and Helen Stoesz, were kept on their toes by Esther, as well as her older brother, Corny, and younger sisters, Rose, Brenda, and Joey on a small farm in Silberfeld. Sunday mornings were spent as a family, attending the Silberfeld CMC, and during the week, Esther attended the Shakespeare School until the eighth grade.
In 1965, Esther moved to a women’s dormitory in Winnipeg, where she worked as a hospital candy striper and later at the StyleRite department store. During this chapter, she also enjoyed the dating scene. Dating came to a swift end when she met young, strapping Peter Martens from ‘Yant Sied’ at a party she didn’t even want to be at. She often recounted how she teased him about his “beautiful, brown eyes”, to which he responded, “They’re not brown, they’re blue!” From day one, Esther always loved getting a reaction from him!
Peter was determined: by their third date, they would either go steady, or end things! Esther, hating to be told what to do, made him wait until the fourth date when she agreed to his terms.
Peter later proposed in September of 1968, and two short months later, they said, “I do” on November 16th.
They did not get much time to get used to married life, however, as their eldest child, Kevin Peter, was born prematurely, 7 months – to the day – after the wedding. Their daughters Kelly Jo Anne and Lisa Dawn were born in 1972 and 1974, respectively.
When the kids were all in school, Esther started as a waitress at the Pioneer Inn. A couple years later, she began working at Kindale Assisted Community Living. For the next 13 years, she enjoyed teaching various light kitchen duties to the Kindale residents.
At this time, Peter and Esther entered into a new chapter, as they welcomed their first of five grandchildren.
She ultimately left Kindale to spend more time caring for her aging parents. After they passed, she sold jewelry at Golden Memories, before switching to homecare for several years before retirement.
In retirement, in addition to keeping Peter young through her endless antics, she also enjoyed volunteering at the MCC, and was always sure to shop for deals while working.
Esther will always be remembered for her sense of humour: quick witted, and often self-deprecating, she wasn’t afraid to make anyone laugh at her expense, including strangers.
However, Esther was much more than just a funny person: she was also a woman of deep faith. She loved God, and demonstrated how she loved people, as He did, through her giving nature. She seemed to be able to sense when an encouraging card, jar of homemade soup, or plate of baked goods was needed. Her personal touch and hand delivery of these gifts made it all the more special.
She also loved being a grandma to each of her grandchildren. She possessed a unique ability to relate to each of them, and was always able to make them feel loved, accepted, and valued.
Esther is predeceased by her parents, George and Helen Stoesz, her brother Corny, and daughter Lisa.
She is survived by her husband, Peter, son Kevin (and Maria), daughter Kelly (and Brad Penner), and her grandchildren: Meagan (and Adam Kroeker), Cole Martens, Bryce, Aidan, and Evan Penner.
Thank you to her friends and family who always loved and supported her: she truly cherished you all, and held you deep in her heart. We also thank you for your continued support for her family going forward.
Thank you to the countless medical professionals who shared their immense knowledge, showed extreme care, and supported her until the very end.
A private family service has been planned.
