PETER PEPNECK

1926 - 2014

Peter Pepneck, dearly loved father, grandfather and great grandfather, passed away peacefully at his home in Taber on Saturday, May 31, 2014 at the age of 87 years.
Relatives and friends were invited to meet with the family at Southland Funeral Chapel, 5006 - 48 Avenue, Taber on Wednesday, June 4, 2014 between 7:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M.
The Funeral Service was held at the Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church, 320 - 9 Street North, Vauxhall on Thursday, June 5, 2014 at 2:00 P.M. Burial followed at the Vauxhall Mennonite Cemetery.
Peter will be greatly missed by his children Helga (Dean), Peter (Glenna), Lillian (George), Richard (Johanna), Harvey (Kathy), and Heidi (Ken); his grandchildren Sonya (Andy), Matthew, Adrienna, Gavin (Carla), Daniel, Tracy (Tyler), Julie, Joshua, Jennifer (Andrew), David (Anna), Stephanie, Luke, Logan, Carson; great grandchildren Ben and Nicolas; sisters Ann Skretting and Ingrid (Ray) Speaker.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Sonja.
Peter Pepneck was born July 25, 1926 in Barvenkova, Ukraine to Peter and Aganetha Pepneck. Ten weeks after his birth during a time of great political turmoil, his father died. His mother made several attempts to leave Ukraine and in December 1928 was finally able to immigrate to Canada with infant Peter. They arrived in Mullengar, Saskatchewan moving to Alberta in 1937. Aganetha married Albrecht Schwab and as a family, they settled in Vauxhall in 1942.
Peter graduated from the Vauxhall High School, then continued his studies at Olds Agricultural School graduating from the ‘two in one’ program. On October 23, 1949 he married Sonja Wiebe and they settled on the banks of the Bow River. That was their home for over sixty years; their base and where they raised their six children, where they welcomed friends and family and expanded their farming operation. Peter was a man of deep and profound faith who felt immensely blessed by all God had given him and made every effort to be a good, generous steward of it. He lived within the larger community, was always an active member of the Mennonite Brethren Church, participated in Vauxhall events, served on the Taber Regional Hospital Board and was school trustee for the Taber School Division Board. In the fall of 2012 it became necessary for Peter and Sonja to move into the Linden View Care Facility in Taber. There they were grateful to continue sharing their lives together as well as finding wonderful friends and care. Last year when Sonja died, a part of Peter also died. He was particularly thankful that he found home within the Linden View community when he missed Sonja so terribly.
If friends so desire, memorial tributes in Peter’s name may be made directly to the Gideons International in Canada, Box 3619, Guelph, Ontario N1H 7H2 or to the Good Samaritan Society, Linden View, 4700 - 64 Avenue, Taber, Alberta T1G 0C6.