MARGUERITA RITA NEUFELD (nee SAWATZKY)
APRIL 1, 1930 – JUNE 8, 2022
Marguerita “Rita” Neufeld entered heaven’s gates on June 8, 2022 in her 93rd year. She will be missed by many friends, neighbours, and family members as she was the most amazing Mom, Grandma, Aunt, and friend to so many.
Rita was born April 1st, 1930 to Peter and Margaret Sawatzky in Holmfield Manitoba where she grew up on a farm with brothers Peter, Nick, Frank and sister Helen. As a young girl, she loved memorizing poems and reading.
She married John Neufeld in 1951 and they had a poultry farm in Lena, Manitoba. John and Rita had five children: Les, Weldon, Patricia, Howard and Eloise, and in 1968, they all moved to Abbotsford, BC where John taught at MEI from 1968-1993. Rita loved the friends she made at Bakerview Church and sang in the church choir and helped in the church office. John and Rita’s lives and marriage were an example for all, that showed their love for each other and for their Lord and Saviour. Her faith was demonstrated daily by her positive attitude and her encouraging words to those that loved her and called on her for advice and friendship.
After retirement Rita and John enjoyed travelling, gardening and visiting their children and grandchildren. Grandma’s favourite thing to do with her grandchildren was bake cookies. They all hold fond memories of the tins of cookies they got to take home with them after a day at Grandma’s. She was always interested in hearing about their lives as they got older and was able to meet two great-grandchildren also.
Rita was an amazing seamstress, sewing clothes for her children, wedding dresses for her daughters and later pajamas and boxer shorts for her grandsons. She was an avid gardener and loved the bright colours of all the flowers that grew in her garden. She had a love for the many hummingbirds that came to feed on the back patio feeders, often thawing the sugar water in the winter months to make sure they would be taken care of. She knit hundreds of small newborn hats and donated them to the Abbotsford Hospital.
Rita is predeceased by her daughter Patricia (MEI Class of 1977). Survived by husband John, with whom she celebrated 70 years of marriage last year, children Les (Norma) Neufeld (MEI 1971), Weldon (Arlene) Neufeld (MEI 1974), Howard Neufeld (MEI 1980) and Eloise (Brian) Mosychuk (MEI 1983), Grandchildren Carissa (Michael), Justin (Sabrina), Marc (Megan), Brandon (Kari), Bryan, Mitchell, Cole and Ross, many nieces and nephews, friends and neighbours. Her nurturing spirit and wisdom will be greatly missed.
A memorial service was held at Bakerview MB Church on August 10, 2022 at 10 am.
Interact with the memorial at Wiebe & Jeske
