Tribute

Elma Helen Hide went to be with her Lord, whom she loved and served faithfully, on Wednesday morning, May 22, 2013, at the age of 82.

Elma was born in Grande Prairie, Alberta. When her parents died in their 40s, Elma, who was 9,  was kindly taken into the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Braul in Beaver Lodge, AB, then in Rosemary.  After 6 years with the Braul family, Elma moved to Yarrow and  lived with her sister and brother-in-law, Erna and Abe Ewert.  After highschool, Elma attended  Prairie Bible Institute. “Uncle Alex” (Voth), the foster father of Elma’s sister Herta, led her to the Lord and “since that moment,” she writes, “I have never doubted my salvation.” She was later baptized and for many years was a member of the Yarrow Mennonite Brethren Church. After Bible school, in 1953,  Elma went to Nigeria as a missionary with SIM, where she served faithfully for 36 years. Elma finished language study and then taught in a girls’ school in Kabo, Northern Nigeria. She then worked at another mission station, Fago, also in the north. In 1959 she was married in Kano, Northern Nigeria, to another SIM missionary Harold Hide. Together they worked at Rinjin Gani, Zambuk, Kwoi and Kagoro where Elma was station hostess at each place, a position which she admirably filled. Most of Elma’s ministry was teaching Bible to women and girls, and also working with children and preschoolers. A project she worked on for many years, during her retirement, was the writing and publishing of her book, “Life On The Homestead and Beyond. ” This book tells the story of her parents’ move from a Mennonite settlement of southern Russia to northern Alberta, their homesteading, their early deaths and the dispersion of 7 of their 8 children to different Mennonite homes.

We, Elma’s family, thank the Lord for the incredible blessing of having her as our wife/mom/grandma. Her legacy of loving Jesus and loving others so sacrificially is one that inspires us and encourages us to do the same. We know she heard the words “Well done, good and faithful servant!” when she met Jesus face to face!

Elma is predeased by her parents, Heinrich and Helena Sawatzky, sister Erna Ewert, brothers Herman (Dick), Henry (Tom), Edward. She is survived by her husband Harold of 53 years;  four daughters Charlene (Bob) Blaschke, Cheryl Hide, Denise (Dwight) Friesen, and Doretha (Lyndon) Plett; eleven grandchildren and one great grandchild; three sisters Herta (Neumann), Rita (Henry) Voth, Rosanna (Dan) Konrad; two sister-in-laws Betty (Ron) Denman, Margaret (Ed) Boldt and many nephews and nieces.

Elma’s memorial service (celebration of life) was held in Central Heights Church on May 27th, 2013. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to “SIM Canada” in memory of Elma Hide.  These donations will be directed towards the ECWA Theological Seminary project, Kagoro, Nigeria, where Elma and Harold ministered for 18 years.