info provided by Susie’s daughter, Joyce Kehler
Susie Harms, who was a teacher at MEI from 1951-1953 has gone Home, which is something she desired for about 5 years. However, she felt that God must still want to teach her something so He was keeping her here. She spent those years, though largely wheelchair bound, though struggling with vision and hearing problems, interacting with family, phoning far-flung friends and relatives using Siri since she could no longer see to dial the phone, having friends come visit, thanking the staff at Tabor Home for taking care of her, and praying for 1 1/2 hours nightly for each family member by name. She loved going to MEI 60th and 65th reunions when she was still able, and meeting her students again. Her service was on Tuesday, September 24 at 11:30 in the morning at the Clearbrook MB Church.
Here is the link to the livestream of the service > https://www.clearbrookmbchurch.ca/events/memorial-service/2024/09/Susie-Harms-Memorial-Service
Mom always felt that if you wanted a job done well, you had to do it yourself, so she wrote her own obituary:
“I was born on February 8, 1924 in Gnadenthal, Ukraine. My parents were David and Elizabeth Peters. They fled by night in 1929, and arrived in Gnadenthal , Manitoba in 1930. Life went on in this village very much like it had in the Ukraine,. They worked, played and worshipped together and I remember a very happy childhood.
As soon as school started, I was hooked. We had a wonderful teacher in Mr. Schaefer in Mennonite Collegiate Institute in Gretna and I never tired of listening to him or doing my homework. Later on, I had the privilege of teaching in my home village and I remember how much I enjoyed teaching the talented students of Gnadenthal. I was principal of a 3 room school and taught 45 children from grades 6-10 and also extended the day by teaching an additional 1 1/2 hours of Bible Study and German.
After a year of Bible College, I wanted to go back to University, but by then my Lord changed my plans. While I was praying, asking for His Guidance, my roommate put the letter in my hand in which Mr. I.J. Dyck asked me to come teach in MEI in British Columbia. This was a direct call and I could only worship in humility and say “Yes, Lord, with your Help!” My MEI years were happy years. I loved my students as much as I had loved all my children in other schools I had taught, which also included Hutterite schools. After 3 wonderful years from 1951-1953, I wanted to teach German at Goshen College.
God changed that too, when Peter Harms and I were married on October 11, 1953. We had been classmates at MCI in Gretna, Manitoba and had been members of the same baptismal group in 1946. Then our ways parted and I became a teacher, and Peter became a farmer. However, our old friendship was renewed and the Lord greatly blessed our marriage.
Our three children, Elizabeth Joyce, Peter John, and Elfrieda Kathleen have given us countless reasons to be thankful. They, with their spouses and grandchildren and now great grandchildren, have greatly enriched our lives. Our blessings rest on them and we have given them Roots and hope we have also given them wings.
God gave us a great life. In 1956 Peter was ordained as a minister and that included me running youth programs, children’s choirs, teaching Sunday School, running the Ladies Aides, ending up as president for all of Manitoba, and also editor of their Mission Paper. We gladly spend most of our lives, serving our Lord and Saviour. For most of our church work, we served on a voluntary basis. I also taught German to the high school students in Crystal City.
In 1968 we moved to BC, serving first in West Abbotsford church, (now known as Level Ground) and then at Clearbrook Mennonite. Here again, I helped with many church activities, as well as being the principal of Saturday School German. We are grateful for the wonderful people we met and those friendships that still exist all these years later.
When our family came back from Manitoba, after I left BC 15 years ago, it was such a pleasure when my former MEI students greeted me by quoting German poetry. Once, our 5 year old Elfrieda asked “Mom, did you teach EVERYBODY?” Thank you for all the love at those amazing reunions. Teaching you all was God’s gift to me!
I continued teaching German at Fraser Valley College, several Senior’s groups, and people who wanted to learn German in Night School and 2 years as professor at Trinity Western College. Even with my arthritis, which I had suffered since childhood, I could actually forget the pain when I taught.
We had moved from Grant Street, into a lovely house that Peter built on Sunnyside View, and in 1996, We moved into an apartment in Evergreen Village in 1996. I kept thanking God for the wonderful neighbours we had there and the most amazing view of Mt Baker. My darling Peter went to meet his Maker on December 13, 2014 and since then my thoughts are more and more Homeward bound. I am grateful and content, and ready to step into his Presence when that time comes.”
Mom got her wish to go Home in the morning of September 15, 2024 as she passed peacefully in her sleep. Despite her increasing blindness, and deafness, and inability to walk for the last few years after breaking both hips, she remained cheerful and very involved with her family, frequently phoning her children and grandchildren and spending 1 1/2 hours in prayer every night for each of them, calling them by name. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband Peter, all her siblings and their spouses, her son-in-law Peter Kehler, and many of her Harms in-laws. She leaves to grieve, her daughter, Elizabeth Joyce Kehler, Peter (Joanne) and Elfrieda (Rich ) Peters, as well as her grandchildren, Lisa (Erik) Warkentin, Jaime Kennedy, David (Ursula) Kehler, Jodi(Russ) Giesbrecht, Charmyn (Dale ) Gunn, Daniel (Hannah) Harms, Kevin(Katie) Harms, Jennifer (Tom) Robinson, Rachael(Chris) Duncan , Steven and Ryan Peters, as well as 17 great grandchildren: Isabel, Marin, Dominik, Finn, Ronan, Millicent and Harris, Lukiah, Tamlyn, and Kirrily , Levi, Lillian and Callum, Simeon Suzannah, Peter, Analia, Clara and Miriam. Special thanks go to Mary Stevens, a wonderful supportive neighbour from Tabor Manor, and her friend, Alice Siemens who was there to help Mom with meals when her family could not come. The staff at the Tabor Home Willow Lane have taken wonderful care of Mom for the last 5 years. We will miss you Mom.
Susie Harms Turns 100: February 8, 2024
Included in the Spring 2024 Issue of MEI Connections Magazine
The Honourable Ed Fast – Member of Parliament:
(From a social media post on February 9, 2024, used with permission)
“Yesterday, I had the honour of visiting with Susie Harms, who just turned 100 years young! I presented her with a certificate and thanked her for the support, encouragement, counsel and wisdom she has shared with me over many years. Susie was also surrounded by all of her immediate family members, a tribute to God’s faithfulness in her life.”
Note from the alumni office: Susie taught at MEI from 1951-1953 with IJ Dyck as Principal. She is remembered fondly by alumni, and has been invited to and has attended class reunions over the years.
