Mennonite teacher had a mind of her own
Waterloo Region Record Jan. 13, 2014
Norma Dettweiler of Cambridge Born Dec. 7, 1927 in Breslau Died: Dec. 26, 2013 of age-related illness
By Valerie Hill
If there was a disheartening future for Norma Dettweiler, it would have been life on the farm.
"She was never interested in the farm," said nephew Ross Dettweiler. "My dad used to tell me all the kids had milk stools, except her."
Norma had bigger ambitions than the expected role of a Mennonite farm wife, but her escape was largely due to supportive parents and the opening of a new school, one that provided opportunities for many Mennonite kids eager to receive an education.
Rockway Mennonite Collegiate opened in 1945, starting as a boarding school in an old farm house offering Grades 9 and 10. As the school expanded, new grades were added, right up to Grade 12.
Norma, who had suffered through a bout of typhoid at age 15, was determined to become a teacher, a goal that amused her longtime friend Dorothy Shantz, who attended Rockway at the same time and shared a room with Norma.
"There were three beds (in the room) and six girls," said Dorothy. "A lot of the girls knew what they wanted to be. I was just thinking what fun it was to go to school."
Norma had been born the youngest daughter in a family of eight children — four girls, four boys. Norma's father struggled to care for his family and consequently started Dettweiler Sausage, a butchering business, now operated by the family's third generation.
Ross still lives in the house on a lot that had been severed from the family homestead by his grandfather, where Norma lived while she was teaching. Though she didn't want to live the traditional life of a Mennonite girl and never married, family and heritage was important to Norma.
In a eulogy, niece Carol Gedcke said "she told me that she was very thankful she could go to high school and further education … she also said she was glad she didn't have to keep house for a man like her sisters."
This decision only backfired once, when her ladies' sewing circle at church decided to invite their husbands to one of the monthly meetings.
"Aunt Norma chuckled and said 'that gives me a month to find a man,'" said Carol. Norma was always brimming with good humour.
The only drawback to this freewheeling lifestyle was how her free time was impacted on weekends. Norma could never figure out why farm folk couldn't nap on Saturday to catch up on their sleep, thereby leaving all of Sunday free for church and fun.
"It was messing up her social life," said Ross.
Norma had been in Rockway's first graduating class, finished Grade 13 at Preston High School and went on to Stratford Normal School for her teaching credentials.
With the family farm located south of Breslau and Norma teaching in a rural school, there was soon an issue of transportation.
"The first year she taught, she learned to drive," said her brother Ward Dettweiler. "I remember going with her on one drive, up Freeport hill and she stepped on the gas and the gravel flew."
After teaching in rural schools, Norma was still hungry for education, graduating with an undergraduate degree from Goshen College in Indiana, in 1957.
Following a 34-year teaching career, Norma retired in 1985 from Smithson Public School in Kitchener. Somewhere in the middle of that busy career, she managed to find time to volunteer as a teacher with the Mennonite Board of Missions, in Cold Lake, Alta., for a few years.
Dorothy said her friend lived in extremely austere conditions, but her life had always been more about service than comfort, particularly in relation to her church and volunteer activities. Norma supplied the House of Friendship with vegetables from her extensive garden and she was founding editor of a congregational newsletter. She also devoted much of her time to family, particularly her 33 nieces and nephews and their children.
Ross recalls how his aunt would use old greeting cards and calendars for crafting with the children. Nothing would go to waste and nothing was purchased unless absolutely necessary. He laughs as he recalls his aunt chatting, sometimes for weeks on end, about how she needed to buy a new dress.
"Maybe it's just me, but I thought the new one looked just like the old one," he said.
Ward's wife, Beatrice, said Norma had long ago declared she wanted to live simply. Given her love of crafting, however, Norma's house had an inordinate amount of craft clutter when it came time to move her into a seniors' residence.
Dorothy describes her friend as "a quiet, retiring sort of person, very generous and helpful." But Norma was also independent, loved to travel and in many ways, she was ahead of her time.
"She cared about others," Dorothy added.
[email protected]
Norma Dettweiler
DETTWEILER, Norma Passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 26, 2013 at Fairview Mennonite Home, Cambridge, at age 86. Predeceased by her parents Isaiah and Lucinda (Bechtel) Dettweiler. Norma is survived by three brothers, Harold (Margaret), Ward (Beatrice) and Clarke. Also by brother-in-law Silvin Roth and sister-in-law Joyce Dettweiler. She was predeceased by her parents; her sisters Margaret Good, Mary Sayer and Ruby Roth; her brothers Glenn and David. Also by her brothers-in-law Laverne Good and John Sayer and sisters-in-law Katherine Dettweiler and Ruth Dettweiler. Norma will be remembered by her 33 nieces and nephews and their families. She will also be remembered by her Dettweiler and Bechtel cousins. Visitation will be held at Fairview Mennonite Home in the auditorium (515 Langs Drive, Cambridge) on Monday, December 30th from 2 - 4 p.m. Visitation will continue at Breslau Mennonite Church (226 Woolwich Street South, Breslau, Ontario) on December 31st, at 10 a.m. followed by a service celebrating her life at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in the Breslau Mennonite Church cemetery. The family extends sincere appreciation for the care given to Norma by the staff at Fairview Mennonite Home where Norma has resided for 20 years. Donations in her memory to Mennonite Central Committee, House of Friendship or a charity of your choice can be arranged through the Barthel Funeral Home at 519-653-3251.
DETTWEILER, Norma
December 7, 1927 - December 26, 2013
Passed away peacefully on Thursday December 26, 2013 at Fairview Mennonite Home, Cambridge.
She was born 86 years ago on December 7, 1927 in Waterloo Township, near Breslau, to Isaiah and Lucinda (Bechtel) Dettweiler. She was the sixth born in a family of nine, eight of whom reached adulthood.
She attended Riverbank School until grade 8 when it was the expectation that she would end her schooling to help at home. A time of illness at age 15 changed things. Norma had already determined that teaching was her calling. When Rockway Mennonite Collegiate opened in 1945 Norma was allowed to pursue her secondary school education. She graduated from grade 12 with the first graduating class at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, grade 13 at Preston High School and then attended Stratford Normal School, graduating as a teacher in 1951. After teaching for several years, Norma completed her formal education at Goshen College in Indiana where she received her B.A. degree in 1957.
Throughout her career, "Miss Dettweiler" taught at a number of Waterloo Township schools including Victoria, Riverbank, Shantz Station, Maple Grove and Breslau. She ended her teaching career at Smithson School in Kitchener when she retired in 1985. Norma taught continuously for 34 years including a 2 year term voluntary teaching assignment in with Mennonite Mission Board in Alberta.
Norma's life also revolved around serving in her church and various organizations. She was baptized into membership at Cressman Mennonite Church (Breslau Mennonite Church) on November 26, 1939 and contributed in various capacities including Vacation Bible School, the Missions Committee, the Music and Worship Committee and Congregational Chairperson. She was the founding editor of The Branch, the congregation's newsletter. Norma enjoyed gardening and supported the House of Friendship by supplying vegetables from her large garden. She joined the Board of Directors of House of Friendship and served in the role of Secretary for 10 years. Norma was a life member of Fraser Lake Camp near Bancroft, Ontario.
Norma travelled extensively with friends and family. Many of her nieces have fond memories of time spent with her during these trips.
Norma is survived by three brothers, Harold (Margaret), Ward (Beatrice) and Clarke. Also by brother-in-in law Silvin Roth and sister-in-law Joyce Dettweiler.
She was predeceased by her parents; her sisters Margaret Good, Mary Sayer and Ruby Roth; her brothers Glenn and David. Also by her brothers-in-law Laverne Good and John Sayer and sisters-in-law Katherine Dettweiler and Ruth Dettweiler.
Norma will be remembered by her 33 nieces and nephews and their families. She will also be remembered by her Dettweiler and Bechtel cousins.
Visitation will be held at Fairview Mennonite Home in the auditorium on Monday December 30th from 2-4pm. Visitation will continue at Breslau Mennonite Church on December 31st at 10am followed by a service celebrating her life at 11am. Interment will follow in the Breslau Mennonite Church cemetery.
The family extends sincere appreciation for the care given to Norma by the staff at Fairview Mennonite Home where Norma has resided for 20 years.
Donations in her memory to Mennonite Central Committee, House of Friendship or a charity of your choice can be arranged through the BARTHEL FUNERAL HOME at 519-653-3251.
A Tribute to Aunt Norma
December 31, 2013
My name is Irene Gibbins. I am the daughter of Norma's sister, Margaret and Laverne Good. I am number 16 in Aunt Norma's brood of nieces and nephews.
Back in 1956, when Norma was preparing to go to Goshen College and her cousin Jean Shantz was heading off to Puerto Rico in Voluntary Service, a farewell service was held at the church and as he often did on special
occasions, my Dad wrote a poem. A few lines from the poem read:
"While Norma she'll to college go
To prepare, her dear Lord to better serve.
God bless you maidens true
As your paths lead far apart
And may rich blessings come to you
As your Lord, you serve with all your heart."
That was a guiding prayer for Aunt Norma's life. Following her graduation from Goshen College, she headed off to Calling Lake, Alberta under the relief and service committee of the Mennonite Board of Missions and
Charities of Elkhart, Indiana, to teach Cree Indians and Metis people in the local elementary school. While there, she taught the 3R's to the children in school and also taught Sunday School at church. According to an article
written by the trusty Volkswagen van who transported the teachers to school and church, they endured many hardships - cold, snow, ice, bad roads - but the van kept them going as he know they had an important job to do. Even talked about taking 16 people in the van at one time to Sunday
School. Guess there were no seat belt laws back then.
Not sure if the wonderful experiences she had with the Volkswagen van in Alberta was her inspiration, but I remember Aunt Norma driving around in her VW Bug. I was always intrigued when she would open up the front end
of the car to store luggage and other items. We always used the trunk at the rear of our car - but I learned very early that the VW Bug was different!
Returning to Ontario, Aunt Norma resumed her teaching career with the Waterloo County Board of Education - teaching in various schools. During the few years she taught at Breslau School, she had at least one niece or
nephew in each grade. Byron was in her grade 2 class the first year she came to Breslau and one day he was doing something that was not on his best behaviour - jumping on the chairs or desks. Miss Dettweiler reprimanded him with a method that she could probably not get away with today and probably only did it because he was her nephew. Byron never
mentioned it at home, but Mom and Dad found out about it. A few yearslater, Ron was a student in her class...and then she moved to Smithson School.
Along with her teaching career, Aunt Norma was a servant in many other capacities. She was active as a member of the Cressman Mennonite Church, now known as Breslau Mennonite, serving in a variety of roles.
She served on the House of Friendship Board for 10 years as secretary - often as the only female member of the Board. Along with active service, she was a strong supporter of missions through prayer, writing letters of encouragement and financial giving. It was her goal to give away half of
her income to support the church and the Lord's work.
Aunt Norma also liked to travel. She visited many countries and often travelled with friends or family members. She loved to take pictures and we were often treated to slide shows upon her return. One year, during the March Break, she was going to Indiana to visit her friend Fannie, and
invited Lynn and myself to accompany her. Another year she took Esther and Karen with her. Aunt Norma liked to shop when she went to the States - usually for some new dresses. Esther shared a story of the time she and Karen were with her and as she tried on dresses, asked them which ones
they liked best. They pointed to a wedding dress. I can just hear Aunt Norma chuckling over that one! In my first year of teaching, which was one of Aunt Norma's last years, we headed north during the March Break - first to Timmins to visit Greg and Charlotte who were living there at the time.
After a few days there, we trekked over snowy, winding roads to Chapleau and south to Thessalon, then further west to Keith and Barb's just east of SS Marie. With no cell phones and certainly no Tim Horton's, it was quite
the adventure for both of us, when signs would tell you that it was 100-200 km to the next gas station and there wasn't much else between! On the way home, we travelled through upper state Michigan, avoiding a deer,
because the truck ahead of us hit it first! Aunt Norma knew that Frankenmuth was a good place to stop for a chicken dinner and visit to the Christmas stores. While we took Aunt Norma's car, she was quite happy to let me do the driving, especially coming home, when she wasn't feeling too
well. A visit to the doctor later confirmed she had pneumonia and another week off was in order. A few months later, Aunt Norma travelled with Mom and Dad and myself to Delaware for Mel and Priscilla's wedding. That was
the plan - until we got lost around Baltimore and we didn't even have aGPS to help us get lost! We eventually found our way and arrived in time for the reception.
Aunt Norma always took great interest in her nieces and nephews. She would often spend Christmas or Easter dinner with us and usually came bearing some kind of gifts. If she had recently been to the States, there was usually candy corn. If not, jelly beans would suffice - hence the
affectionate nickname she was given - Jolly Auntie. For family gatherings, she would often bring crafts to do with the children and balloons. Yes, she was also known as Balloon Lady! In 1966 - the last year that the Silver
Dollar was actually made of silver, she thought Grandpa should buy one for each of his Grandchildren for Christmas. While Grandpa thought it was a lot of money to spend - he had 32 grandchildren at the time, Aunt Norma
persisted and probably went to the bank to purchase them, because 47 years later - I still have my tarnished coin!
While Aunt Norma was the only sibling who did not have a middle name (Mom always said they had run out of names by the time she came along!), she was the only one who was able to complete high school and pursue a
post-secondary education and earn the letters behind her name. It was her calling to be a teacher and she obediently pursued that calling. Although she never directly encouraged me to become a teacher, I believe that her
life modeled something that I wanted to pursue. While the pay cheque and the holidays are pretty good - the greatest benefit is to influence children and young people in their formative years and prepare them for a life of service. As I began my teaching career, Aunt Norma was winding down
and preparing for retirement. At that time, the onset of computers was more than she wanted to conquer and decided it was time to move on. Although most of my day is spent in front of a computer and I rely very heavily on it, I was at a conference several weeks ago, where the speaker chastised another teacher for writing notes rather than putting them into her phone or electronic device. As a Principal for Technology and Innovation in Alberta, his premise was that the most important tool for students today is their cell phone. Sitting there that day, I was thankful that I can now
contemplate retirement! I can just imagine what Aunt Norma would be saying about all the changes since she began teaching over 60 years ago.
With 2 nephews of my own now employed as teachers, the tradition will continue through our family.
Some of the last conversations I had with Aunt Norma go back 12 years ago. Visiting Mom and Dad at Fairview, I was heading out the door, when I saw Aunt Norma sitting in the lounge, so I stopped and chatted with her.
When I told her that I needed to head home (1.5 hour drive), she replied that she should go home too. I reminded her that she was at home and she quickly retorted that I should go "Jump in the Lake!"
During Mom's final days, Aunt Norma had recently been moved to the Blair wing, and often circulated by Mom's room. She would stop at the door and admire the picture in the showcase - "There's Mom and Pop" she would say and then begin to enter the room. "There's Laverne and Irene and
Byron and Margaret too" depending who was there at the time. One time she was very concerned because she could not find the kids. Byron asked her if it was her nieces and nephews that she was looking for. When she said "No - the kids that I need to move some boxes", we were relieved, but
realized that kids were part of Aunt Norma's life and as she reflected back on her earlier years, that call to serve, never left her.
Thank you Aunt Norma for answering the call to serve. You have influenced many people throughout your life of service. You have left a legacy for all of us to follow. Now you are at home - with Mom and Pop, Margaret, Laverne, your other siblings, cousins, friends and we will see you
again. Next time I see you - I will be at home too and hopefully you won't tell me to jump in the lake!
***********************************************************
Sorry to have missed her celebration of life, but I have been filtering through memories of her......she was always glad to see us, loved giving books for presents, made the best fresh corn, right from the garden, and always had stories of her travels and teaching. Special lady! Glad she is free of this body, and enjoying celebrating in heaven
Charlotte Stace
Norma's Niece
I remember visiting her and having her make peppermint tea from the peppermint that she grew in the backyard. I also liked rolling down her hill in the little barrel that she had.
Heidi McNeil
Norma's Great-Niece
After my Mom died, a year later I spent a year in the Netherlands. Dad wanted to come see me, but didn't want to go alone. Aunt Norma offered to come with him. That's the kind of person she was. She had alzheimers for 20 years...started soon after her retirement. Was so sad to see her that way, but I know she knew me till the end. A funny story I'll share with you is when she took two nieces with her to the U.S. to go shopping for a dress (or 2 ??). She did a lot of travelling with nieces of hers. Aunt Norma was trying on dresses. She asked her nieces which dress they liked best. They pointed to a wedding dress! LOL Aunt Norma chuckled. (She was known for her chuckle). RIP Aunt Norma! I'll love you forever!
Janet Charette
Norma's Niece
Your aunt was a wonderful teacher Janet! while I was just a little kid, I remember her well. I posted this link because I know other friends would feel the same!
Julie Baker
Student, Smithson Public
My second grade teacher at Smithson back in 1975-76. She was a very good person, and I have fond memories of that year in her class. May she Rest in Peace.
Marjan Neceski
Student, Smithson Public
Thank you for sharing this. Miss Dettweiler was among my favourite teachers ever. She taught us far more than just the curriculum and I still remember how she would read the Little House books to us out loud. I'm so sorry to hear that she has passed away but she really has left a wonderful legacy in the impact she had on her family, students and everyone who she helped. I'm so very grateful to have been one of her students.
April Harris
Student, Smithson Public
I didn't realize at the time that she was an amazing female mentor who defied the odds and became a teacher. I remember her being extremely focused on teaching the fundamentals of English and Math. She also took us on trips to her farm and brought in produce:) So grateful she was my teacher!
Janet MacPherson
Student, Smithson Public
I remember her! Wow! She was a great lady! Very strong and very smart.
Tanja Behrendt Nandor
Student, Smithson Public
I remember being scared to death when I heard I was going to be in her class because she was rumoured to be "strict". One of the best teachers I had. Then again, I don't think I had a bad teacher my entire time at Smithson. Rest in peace.
Chris Arnold
Student, Smithson Public
Mennonite teacher had a mind of her own
Waterloo Region Record Jan. 13, 2014
Norma Dettweiler of Cambridge Born Dec. 7, 1927 in Breslau Died: Dec. 26, 2013 of age-related illness
By Valerie Hill
If there was a disheartening future for Norma Dettweiler, it would have been life on the farm.
"She was never interested in the farm," said nephew Ross Dettweiler. "My dad used to tell me all the kids had milk stools, except her."
Norma had bigger ambitions than the expected role of a Mennonite farm wife, but her escape was largely due to supportive parents and the opening of a new school, one that provided opportunities for many Mennonite kids eager to receive an education.
Rockway Mennonite Collegiate opened in 1945, starting as a boarding school in an old farm house offering Grades 9 and 10. As the school expanded, new grades were added, right up to Grade 12.
Norma, who had suffered through a bout of typhoid at age 15, was determined to become a teacher, a goal that amused her longtime friend Dorothy Shantz, who attended Rockway at the same time and shared a room with Norma.
"There were three beds (in the room) and six girls," said Dorothy. "A lot of the girls knew what they wanted to be. I was just thinking what fun it was to go to school."
Norma had been born the youngest daughter in a family of eight children — four girls, four boys. Norma's father struggled to care for his family and consequently started Dettweiler Sausage, a butchering business, now operated by the family's third generation.
Ross still lives in the house on a lot that had been severed from the family homestead by his grandfather, where Norma lived while she was teaching. Though she didn't want to live the traditional life of a Mennonite girl and never married, family and heritage was important to Norma.
In a eulogy, niece Carol Gedcke said "she told me that she was very thankful she could go to high school and further education … she also said she was glad she didn't have to keep house for a man like her sisters."
This decision only backfired once, when her ladies' sewing circle at church decided to invite their husbands to one of the monthly meetings.
"Aunt Norma chuckled and said 'that gives me a month to find a man,'" said Carol. Norma was always brimming with good humour.
The only drawback to this freewheeling lifestyle was how her free time was impacted on weekends. Norma could never figure out why farm folk couldn't nap on Saturday to catch up on their sleep, thereby leaving all of Sunday free for church and fun.
"It was messing up her social life," said Ross.
Norma had been in Rockway's first graduating class, finished Grade 13 at Preston High School and went on to Stratford Normal School for her teaching credentials.
With the family farm located south of Breslau and Norma teaching in a rural school, there was soon an issue of transportation.
"The first year she taught, she learned to drive," said her brother Ward Dettweiler. "I remember going with her on one drive, up Freeport hill and she stepped on the gas and the gravel flew."
After teaching in rural schools, Norma was still hungry for education, graduating with an undergraduate degree from Goshen College in Indiana, in 1957.
Following a 34-year teaching career, Norma retired in 1985 from Smithson Public School in Kitchener. Somewhere in the middle of that busy career, she managed to find time to volunteer as a teacher with the Mennonite Board of Missions, in Cold Lake, Alta., for a few years.
Dorothy said her friend lived in extremely austere conditions, but her life had always been more about service than comfort, particularly in relation to her church and volunteer activities. Norma supplied the House of Friendship with vegetables from her extensive garden and she was founding editor of a congregational newsletter. She also devoted much of her time to family, particularly her 33 nieces and nephews and their children.
Ross recalls how his aunt would use old greeting cards and calendars for crafting with the children. Nothing would go to waste and nothing was purchased unless absolutely necessary. He laughs as he recalls his aunt chatting, sometimes for weeks on end, about how she needed to buy a new dress.
"Maybe it's just me, but I thought the new one looked just like the old one," he said.
Ward's wife, Beatrice, said Norma had long ago declared she wanted to live simply. Given her love of crafting, however, Norma's house had an inordinate amount of craft clutter when it came time to move her into a seniors' residence.
Dorothy describes her friend as "a quiet, retiring sort of person, very generous and helpful." But Norma was also independent, loved to travel and in many ways, she was ahead of her time.
"She cared about others," Dorothy added.
[email protected]
Norma Dettweiler
DETTWEILER, Norma Passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 26, 2013 at Fairview Mennonite Home, Cambridge, at age 86. Predeceased by her parents Isaiah and Lucinda (Bechtel) Dettweiler. Norma is survived by three brothers, Harold (Margaret), Ward (Beatrice) and Clarke. Also by brother-in-law Silvin Roth and sister-in-law Joyce Dettweiler. She was predeceased by her parents; her sisters Margaret Good, Mary Sayer and Ruby Roth; her brothers Glenn and David. Also by her brothers-in-law Laverne Good and John Sayer and sisters-in-law Katherine Dettweiler and Ruth Dettweiler. Norma will be remembered by her 33 nieces and nephews and their families. She will also be remembered by her Dettweiler and Bechtel cousins. Visitation will be held at Fairview Mennonite Home in the auditorium (515 Langs Drive, Cambridge) on Monday, December 30th from 2 - 4 p.m. Visitation will continue at Breslau Mennonite Church (226 Woolwich Street South, Breslau, Ontario) on December 31st, at 10 a.m. followed by a service celebrating her life at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in the Breslau Mennonite Church cemetery. The family extends sincere appreciation for the care given to Norma by the staff at Fairview Mennonite Home where Norma has resided for 20 years. Donations in her memory to Mennonite Central Committee, House of Friendship or a charity of your choice can be arranged through the Barthel Funeral Home at 519-653-3251.
DETTWEILER, Norma
December 7, 1927 - December 26, 2013
Passed away peacefully on Thursday December 26, 2013 at Fairview Mennonite Home, Cambridge.
She was born 86 years ago on December 7, 1927 in Waterloo Township, near Breslau, to Isaiah and Lucinda (Bechtel) Dettweiler. She was the sixth born in a family of nine, eight of whom reached adulthood.
She attended Riverbank School until grade 8 when it was the expectation that she would end her schooling to help at home. A time of illness at age 15 changed things. Norma had already determined that teaching was her calling. When Rockway Mennonite Collegiate opened in 1945 Norma was allowed to pursue her secondary school education. She graduated from grade 12 with the first graduating class at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, grade 13 at Preston High School and then attended Stratford Normal School, graduating as a teacher in 1951. After teaching for several years, Norma completed her formal education at Goshen College in Indiana where she received her B.A. degree in 1957.
Throughout her career, "Miss Dettweiler" taught at a number of Waterloo Township schools including Victoria, Riverbank, Shantz Station, Maple Grove and Breslau. She ended her teaching career at Smithson School in Kitchener when she retired in 1985. Norma taught continuously for 34 years including a 2 year term voluntary teaching assignment in with Mennonite Mission Board in Alberta.
Norma's life also revolved around serving in her church and various organizations. She was baptized into membership at Cressman Mennonite Church (Breslau Mennonite Church) on November 26, 1939 and contributed in various capacities including Vacation Bible School, the Missions Committee, the Music and Worship Committee and Congregational Chairperson. She was the founding editor of The Branch, the congregation's newsletter. Norma enjoyed gardening and supported the House of Friendship by supplying vegetables from her large garden. She joined the Board of Directors of House of Friendship and served in the role of Secretary for 10 years. Norma was a life member of Fraser Lake Camp near Bancroft, Ontario.
Norma travelled extensively with friends and family. Many of her nieces have fond memories of time spent with her during these trips.
Norma is survived by three brothers, Harold (Margaret), Ward (Beatrice) and Clarke. Also by brother-in-in law Silvin Roth and sister-in-law Joyce Dettweiler.
She was predeceased by her parents; her sisters Margaret Good, Mary Sayer and Ruby Roth; her brothers Glenn and David. Also by her brothers-in-law Laverne Good and John Sayer and sisters-in-law Katherine Dettweiler and Ruth Dettweiler.
Norma will be remembered by her 33 nieces and nephews and their families. She will also be remembered by her Dettweiler and Bechtel cousins.
Visitation will be held at Fairview Mennonite Home in the auditorium on Monday December 30th from 2-4pm. Visitation will continue at Breslau Mennonite Church on December 31st at 10am followed by a service celebrating her life at 11am. Interment will follow in the Breslau Mennonite Church cemetery.
The family extends sincere appreciation for the care given to Norma by the staff at Fairview Mennonite Home where Norma has resided for 20 years.
Donations in her memory to Mennonite Central Committee, House of Friendship or a charity of your choice can be arranged through the BARTHEL FUNERAL HOME at 519-653-3251.
A Tribute to Aunt Norma
December 31, 2013
My name is Irene Gibbins. I am the daughter of Norma's sister, Margaret and Laverne Good. I am number 16 in Aunt Norma's brood of nieces and nephews.
Back in 1956, when Norma was preparing to go to Goshen College and her cousin Jean Shantz was heading off to Puerto Rico in Voluntary Service, a farewell service was held at the church and as he often did on special
occasions, my Dad wrote a poem. A few lines from the poem read:
"While Norma she'll to college go
To prepare, her dear Lord to better serve.
God bless you maidens true
As your paths lead far apart
And may rich blessings come to you
As your Lord, you serve with all your heart."
That was a guiding prayer for Aunt Norma's life. Following her graduation from Goshen College, she headed off to Calling Lake, Alberta under the relief and service committee of the Mennonite Board of Missions and
Charities of Elkhart, Indiana, to teach Cree Indians and Metis people in the local elementary school. While there, she taught the 3R's to the children in school and also taught Sunday School at church. According to an article
written by the trusty Volkswagen van who transported the teachers to school and church, they endured many hardships - cold, snow, ice, bad roads - but the van kept them going as he know they had an important job to do. Even talked about taking 16 people in the van at one time to Sunday
School. Guess there were no seat belt laws back then.
Not sure if the wonderful experiences she had with the Volkswagen van in Alberta was her inspiration, but I remember Aunt Norma driving around in her VW Bug. I was always intrigued when she would open up the front end
of the car to store luggage and other items. We always used the trunk at the rear of our car - but I learned very early that the VW Bug was different!
Returning to Ontario, Aunt Norma resumed her teaching career with the Waterloo County Board of Education - teaching in various schools. During the few years she taught at Breslau School, she had at least one niece or
nephew in each grade. Byron was in her grade 2 class the first year she came to Breslau and one day he was doing something that was not on his best behaviour - jumping on the chairs or desks. Miss Dettweiler reprimanded him with a method that she could probably not get away with today and probably only did it because he was her nephew. Byron never
mentioned it at home, but Mom and Dad found out about it. A few yearslater, Ron was a student in her class...and then she moved to Smithson School.
Along with her teaching career, Aunt Norma was a servant in many other capacities. She was active as a member of the Cressman Mennonite Church, now known as Breslau Mennonite, serving in a variety of roles.
She served on the House of Friendship Board for 10 years as secretary - often as the only female member of the Board. Along with active service, she was a strong supporter of missions through prayer, writing letters of encouragement and financial giving. It was her goal to give away half of
her income to support the church and the Lord's work.
Aunt Norma also liked to travel. She visited many countries and often travelled with friends or family members. She loved to take pictures and we were often treated to slide shows upon her return. One year, during the March Break, she was going to Indiana to visit her friend Fannie, and
invited Lynn and myself to accompany her. Another year she took Esther and Karen with her. Aunt Norma liked to shop when she went to the States - usually for some new dresses. Esther shared a story of the time she and Karen were with her and as she tried on dresses, asked them which ones
they liked best. They pointed to a wedding dress. I can just hear Aunt Norma chuckling over that one! In my first year of teaching, which was one of Aunt Norma's last years, we headed north during the March Break - first to Timmins to visit Greg and Charlotte who were living there at the time.
After a few days there, we trekked over snowy, winding roads to Chapleau and south to Thessalon, then further west to Keith and Barb's just east of SS Marie. With no cell phones and certainly no Tim Horton's, it was quite
the adventure for both of us, when signs would tell you that it was 100-200 km to the next gas station and there wasn't much else between! On the way home, we travelled through upper state Michigan, avoiding a deer,
because the truck ahead of us hit it first! Aunt Norma knew that Frankenmuth was a good place to stop for a chicken dinner and visit to the Christmas stores. While we took Aunt Norma's car, she was quite happy to let me do the driving, especially coming home, when she wasn't feeling too
well. A visit to the doctor later confirmed she had pneumonia and another week off was in order. A few months later, Aunt Norma travelled with Mom and Dad and myself to Delaware for Mel and Priscilla's wedding. That was
the plan - until we got lost around Baltimore and we didn't even have aGPS to help us get lost! We eventually found our way and arrived in time for the reception.
Aunt Norma always took great interest in her nieces and nephews. She would often spend Christmas or Easter dinner with us and usually came bearing some kind of gifts. If she had recently been to the States, there was usually candy corn. If not, jelly beans would suffice - hence the
affectionate nickname she was given - Jolly Auntie. For family gatherings, she would often bring crafts to do with the children and balloons. Yes, she was also known as Balloon Lady! In 1966 - the last year that the Silver
Dollar was actually made of silver, she thought Grandpa should buy one for each of his Grandchildren for Christmas. While Grandpa thought it was a lot of money to spend - he had 32 grandchildren at the time, Aunt Norma
persisted and probably went to the bank to purchase them, because 47 years later - I still have my tarnished coin!
While Aunt Norma was the only sibling who did not have a middle name (Mom always said they had run out of names by the time she came along!), she was the only one who was able to complete high school and pursue a
post-secondary education and earn the letters behind her name. It was her calling to be a teacher and she obediently pursued that calling. Although she never directly encouraged me to become a teacher, I believe that her
life modeled something that I wanted to pursue. While the pay cheque and the holidays are pretty good - the greatest benefit is to influence children and young people in their formative years and prepare them for a life of service. As I began my teaching career, Aunt Norma was winding down
and preparing for retirement. At that time, the onset of computers was more than she wanted to conquer and decided it was time to move on. Although most of my day is spent in front of a computer and I rely very heavily on it, I was at a conference several weeks ago, where the speaker chastised another teacher for writing notes rather than putting them into her phone or electronic device. As a Principal for Technology and Innovation in Alberta, his premise was that the most important tool for students today is their cell phone. Sitting there that day, I was thankful that I can now
contemplate retirement! I can just imagine what Aunt Norma would be saying about all the changes since she began teaching over 60 years ago.
With 2 nephews of my own now employed as teachers, the tradition will continue through our family.
Some of the last conversations I had with Aunt Norma go back 12 years ago. Visiting Mom and Dad at Fairview, I was heading out the door, when I saw Aunt Norma sitting in the lounge, so I stopped and chatted with her.
When I told her that I needed to head home (1.5 hour drive), she replied that she should go home too. I reminded her that she was at home and she quickly retorted that I should go "Jump in the Lake!"
During Mom's final days, Aunt Norma had recently been moved to the Blair wing, and often circulated by Mom's room. She would stop at the door and admire the picture in the showcase - "There's Mom and Pop" she would say and then begin to enter the room. "There's Laverne and Irene and
Byron and Margaret too" depending who was there at the time. One time she was very concerned because she could not find the kids. Byron asked her if it was her nieces and nephews that she was looking for. When she said "No - the kids that I need to move some boxes", we were relieved, but
realized that kids were part of Aunt Norma's life and as she reflected back on her earlier years, that call to serve, never left her.
Thank you Aunt Norma for answering the call to serve. You have influenced many people throughout your life of service. You have left a legacy for all of us to follow. Now you are at home - with Mom and Pop, Margaret, Laverne, your other siblings, cousins, friends and we will see you
again. Next time I see you - I will be at home too and hopefully you won't tell me to jump in the lake!
***********************************************************
Sorry to have missed her celebration of life, but I have been filtering through memories of her......she was always glad to see us, loved giving books for presents, made the best fresh corn, right from the garden, and always had stories of her travels and teaching. Special lady! Glad she is free of this body, and enjoying celebrating in heaven
Charlotte Stace
Norma's Niece
I remember visiting her and having her make peppermint tea from the peppermint that she grew in the backyard. I also liked rolling down her hill in the little barrel that she had.
Heidi McNeil
Norma's Great-Niece
After my Mom died, a year later I spent a year in the Netherlands. Dad wanted to come see me, but didn't want to go alone. Aunt Norma offered to come with him. That's the kind of person she was. She had alzheimers for 20 years...started soon after her retirement. Was so sad to see her that way, but I know she knew me till the end. A funny story I'll share with you is when she took two nieces with her to the U.S. to go shopping for a dress (or 2 ??). She did a lot of travelling with nieces of hers. Aunt Norma was trying on dresses. She asked her nieces which dress they liked best. They pointed to a wedding dress! LOL Aunt Norma chuckled. (She was known for her chuckle). RIP Aunt Norma! I'll love you forever!
Janet Charette
Norma's Niece
Your aunt was a wonderful teacher Janet! while I was just a little kid, I remember her well. I posted this link because I know other friends would feel the same!
Julie Baker
Student, Smithson Public
My second grade teacher at Smithson back in 1975-76. She was a very good person, and I have fond memories of that year in her class. May she Rest in Peace.
Marjan Neceski
Student, Smithson Public
Thank you for sharing this. Miss Dettweiler was among my favourite teachers ever. She taught us far more than just the curriculum and I still remember how she would read the Little House books to us out loud. I'm so sorry to hear that she has passed away but she really has left a wonderful legacy in the impact she had on her family, students and everyone who she helped. I'm so very grateful to have been one of her students.
April Harris
Student, Smithson Public
I didn't realize at the time that she was an amazing female mentor who defied the odds and became a teacher. I remember her being extremely focused on teaching the fundamentals of English and Math. She also took us on trips to her farm and brought in produce:) So grateful she was my teacher!
Janet MacPherson
Student, Smithson Public
I remember her! Wow! She was a great lady! Very strong and very smart.
Tanja Behrendt Nandor
Student, Smithson Public
I remember being scared to death when I heard I was going to be in her class because she was rumoured to be "strict". One of the best teachers I had. Then again, I don't think I had a bad teacher my entire time at Smithson. Rest in peace.
Chris Arnold
Student, Smithson Public
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