Rients Wever

1932 - 2022

In my Father’s house, there are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. John 14:2

Rients Wever, beloved husband of Elsa Wever passed away in Bow Island on Monday, February 28, 2022 at the age of 89 years.

Relatives and friends were invited to meet with the family at Southland Funeral Chapel, 5006 - 48 Avenue, Taber on Sunday, March 6, 2022 between 3:00 P.M. and 4:00 P.M.

A private burial service was held at the Highfield Cemetery and followed by a private funeral service, on Monday, March 7, 2022. 

Besides Eelkje “Elsa”, his loving wife of sixty seven years Rients is survived by their eight children James Wever (Lana Leeb), Norman (Linda) Wever, Janet (Iain) Mercer, Evelyn (Gerald) Hopkins, Susanna (Dean) Kress, Herman (Karen) Wever, Arthur (Dawn) Wever and Joyce (Albert) Visscher; thirty grandchildren and thirty nine great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Sybil (Ryk) Prins of Bow Island, sister Josien and brother Ette of the Netherlands and by numerous nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by daughter-in-law Sherry Ann Wever and by numerous siblings and members of his extended family.

Rients, affectionately known as “Pake”, was born in Franeker, Friesland, on May 12, 1932. He left his homeland in 1951 to establish his own life in Canada. In 1954, after three years of writing, Eelkje left Friesland to come to Canada. The two were married in Lethbridge on October 28, 1954 and lived at Writing-on-Stone for a short time. The small family moved south of Burdett in 1956 to be closer to their church, where they raised their eight children. Rients was a member of the Burdett Christian Reformed Church for sixty seven years, where he served in many capacities. In 2001, Rients and Eelkje built their retirement home just two miles north of the farm. He was grateful to have been able to stay in his own home on the farm until his passing, with the love and care of his wife and family. Staying on the farm gave him the opportunity to keep in contact with neighbours and to enjoy watching the next generation continue on with the farm activities while still giving daily advice. Rients treasured his time with family and friends coming together for coffee around the kitchen table. His blue truck cruising the countryside, checking the cows and crops, will be missed.

If friends so desire, memorial tributes in Rients’ name may be made directly to HALO Air Ambulance, 12 - 1 Airport Drive SW, Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 5G4 www.haloairambulance.com or to Rehoboth Christian Ministries, Box 1312, Coaldale, Alberta T1M 1N1 www.rcmflourish.ca.