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400 attend Loewen reunion In Gretna

by Larry Kehler

GRETNA, MB – Four-hundred descendants of Heinrich and Sara (Toews) Loewen, who were born in the 1820s and who grew up and were married in Molotschna Colony in South Russia, gathered at the Mennonite Collegiate Institute (MCI) in Gretna July 12–14 to celebrate their kinship. The participants came from across Canada (every province from Quebec to British Columbia was represented), from five states in the USA (Indiana, New Jersey, North Dakota, Texas and Virginia), and from Mexico.

Loewen Family Reunion at the Mennonite Collegiate Institute, Gretna, Manitoba in July 2002 – Descendants of Jacob Loewen (b. 1861) one of the branches of the Heinrich Loewen (1823–1908) and Sarah Toews (1827–1889) family who homesteaded at Silberfeld. Photo: Courtesy of Ralph Thorpe

Activities at the reunion included bus tours of the area where the Loewen family settled in 1879, a midnight viewing of the homestead in Silberfeld, wagon rides and walking tours of Gretna, a golf tournament, a service to dedicate a memorial erected on the homestead site, viewing the massive genealogy charts, artifacts and picture displays in the MCI gymnasium, and of course, much visiting. Special activities were available for the nearly 80 children under the age of twelve who came to the event.

There were two larger get-togethers in the MCI chapel. One was a Saturday evening program at which stories were told about the five children of Heinrich and Sara who grew to adulthood and about their families. The second larger gathering was a Sunday morning worship service. Garry Loewen, the Executive Director of the North End Community Renewal Corporation in Winnipeg, presented the sermon. It was entitled, “Longing for Home.”

The reunion concluded Sunday afternoon with the dedication of a memorial to Heinrich and Sara Loewen at the homestead site in Silberfeld, which is approximately 3.5 miles northeast of Gretna, and a traditional Sunday afternoon meal (faspa) at the MCI.

This 10-foot metal memorial to Heinrich and Sara Loewen, crafted by Geoff Loewen of Silberfeld, a fourth generation descendant of Heinrich and Sara, was dedicated at the conclusion of the Loewen Family Reunion on Sunday afternoon, July 14. The memorial is located on the Loewen homestead on what is now Loewen Drive in Silberfeld. Photo: Courtesy of Ralph Thorpe

The local hosts for the Reunion were Benno and Mary Loewen from Silberfeld, who were members of the Reunion Committee. They and their family received many accolades for their superb hosting.

Descendant listings of each of the five branches of the Heinrich and Sara Loewen family have been prepared by Ralph Thorpe of Nepean, Ontario, who is a member of the Loewen Reunion Committee and who is an accomplished genealogist. Copies of these listings are available to any interested persons at a cost of between $7 and $17, depending on the size of the listing.

Jen Loewen of Winnipeg scanned numerous photos onto a CD-ROM which were brought to the reunion by a broad range of participants. Most of the photos date back to the first half of the 20th century. Copies of this CD are available at a cost of $10 each.

A video of the reunion, shot by Marvin Loewen of Winkler, will be available in both DVD and VHS format in late autumn or early winter. It will cost $15.

Persons wishing to place an order for a descendant listing, the CD-ROM or the video may contact Larry Kehler, the secretary of the Reunion Committee. His address and phone number are: 440 Best Street, Winnipeg, MB R3K 1P3; 204-888-8192.

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