Tribute

Obituary for the newspaper

Edna Isaac was born on May 20th, 1928 to her parents, Gerhard and Susanna Delesky who had immigrated from Russia to Canada in 1925. They settled on a small farm near Newton Sidimg, Manitoba where they were involved in mixed farming.

She was the third of six children, 5 girls and 1 boy.  She had a very happy und fulfilled childhood.  Since she had only one brother, she became an extra farmhand. She had her early education in Salem Elementary School, took two years by correspondence and also attended the Mennonite Educational Institute at Gretna, Manitoba, as well as Chilliwack High School. This was followed by one year of biblical studies at Yarrow Bible School after which she took several years of employment and training at Essondale Mental Hospital  now known as Riverview.

The foundation for her spiritual life was laid at the Newton Siding Mennonite Brethren Church in Manitoba, then later at the East Chilliwack Mennonite Brethren Church. She was baptized upon the confession of her faith in the backwaters of the Fraser River in the fall of 1947.

In 1949 she joined hands in marriage with Art Isaac, a relationship that was blessed with five very special children.  The marriage was enriched by at least four decades of church ministries, first at Laidlaw Gospel Chapel followed by pastoral ministries at Lake Errock, B.C., at Laglace, Alberta for five years and at Foam Lake, Saskatchewan for seven years.  These pastoral ministries then continued well into retirement in part-time and volunteeer church ministries.

In early January, 2014 she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. As the cancer spread her desire to go to her heavenly home intensified. That desire became fulfilled on May 14th, 2014.

We are grateful to our family doctor, Dr. Daniel Milne, for the doctors and nurses in Abbotsford and Vancouver General Hospitals who did so much for Edna. We are particularly thankful for Dr. Bull and all the nurses and volunteers at Cascades Hospice in Chilliwack who so tenderly cared for Edna for just over three months.

Edna was predeceased by her parents, brother Bill and sister, Susie Willms. She is survived by her loving husband, her five children: Harold Isaac, Carolyn Rice, Wes Isaac, Naomi Wiebe, Gloria Wiebe with their respective soul mates, eighteen grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren, three sisters and a host of relatives and friends.

As a family, we miss her greatly but do not deny her the joy of having entered her heavenly home.