Abram Giesbrecht

Abe passed away to be with his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on January 10, 2022 in Brooks, Alberta at the age of 94 years. Psalm 103:11,12,17. Abe was the third child of Isaac and Helena Giesbrecht, born December 10, 1927 in Plum Coulee, MB. When Abe was 12 years old, he moved together with his family to Lavenham, MB., where his father took up farming. Abe worked around the MacGregor area on various farms and by the time he reached the age of 20 he decided that being a farm laborer was not for him any longer and he took the Greyhound bus to Winnipeg to look for employment.  Abe spent the first winter working in the coal yards, but since this was seasonal work, the job ended.  He secured another in Ontario and while he was in Ontario he worked for the railroad as a general contractor and did painting at various places including the pulp mill. After a long stay away from home Abe became lonely and so travelled back to MacGregor. He stayed home on the farm for that fall of 1949 and winter of 1950. In February 1950 Abe gave his life to the Lord and in the fall of 1951, he went to Steinbach Bible School to study the Bible. During the summer of 1953 Abe went into evangelistic work, doing house to house visitation and D.V.B.S. (Daily Vacation Bible School) in small towns around Saskatchewan. It was during the summer of 1953 that Abe met his first wife, Loretta and they were married October 3, 1953. In the spring of 1956, he graduated from Steinbach Bible School and they moved together with their two small boys, Paul born November 25, 1954 and Rawland born September 21, 1956 to Weekes, Saskatchewan where he pastored a small church. During their 5 years in Weekes Cheryl was born on May 24, 1959. After 5 years of ministry in Weekes, Sask, they moved to another congregation in Pelly, Sask. In 1967, Abe then decided to complete his High School Diploma in Steinbach, Manitoba and they resided there for 2 years.  Upon completion they we called to minister to another congregation in Austin, Manitoba and then in 1971 they moved to Calgary, Alberta where he was involved in ministry as well as doing carpentry. In 1976 he started his own carpentry business. In 1980 they took a short-term ministry in Spirit River, Alberta and after three years moved back to Calgary. Abe then worked in the carpentry business with his son Rawland until he retired in 1994. In 1996 Abe's first wife Loretta passed away after almost 43 years of marriage. In June of 1997 Abe attended a Seniors' retreat at Briercrest Bible College and it was there he met a widower named Ellie Heffke. They were married in November of 1997 and lived in Lethbridge, Alberta until October 2012 and then moved to a Lodge in Brooks, Alberta, where he resided until his passing. Abe is survived by his son Rawland (Lisa) Giesbrecht; his daughter Cheryl (Andrew) Koeppen; his four grandchildren Nicole (Tyler) Naibert, Michael (Rosie) Koeppen, Kristian Koeppen and Caleb Koeppen; two sisters Rose and Eva, numerous nieces and nephews, as well as Ellie's children Don Heffke and Judy Erker and their families. Abe was predeceased by his son Paul (1972), his first wife Loretta (1996), his second wife Ellie (2021) and his brothers and sisters Peter, Bill, John, Jake, Tina, Anne, Mary and Albert. A memorial to honor Abe will be arranged to take place in the spring/summer. Graveside Services for Abe will be held at Rockyview Cemetery, Calgary.

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