Jeannette Vidler

Jeannette Alida (Apfeld) Vidler passed away on Monday January 17, 2022.  Born in Wilkie, Saskatchewan on May 2, 1928 to the late Gerritt & Violet (Johnson) Apfeld, Jeannette was fortunate to have the late Paul Demeester as a father figure when her dad passed away early in life.

In 1945, after serving with the Royal Canadian Regiment, George Vidler returned from his service and two years later he and Jeanette married, becoming lifelong residents of Erieau where they raised their family.  George predeceased her on Christmas Day in 2009 leaving Jeannette to be surrounded by the children they were so proud of; Lauraine Fennell (predeceased by Jim Fennell), Joanne Adams (predeceased by Gerry McKeon), Brian & Heidi Vidler and Scott & Patti Vidler.  They were blessed with 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Jeannette is survived by her sister Marie Karlsen (late Leonard), her sister-in-law Eva Apfeld (late Gerritt) and is predeceased by her son-in-law Mike Adams.  She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

So…what can we say about our Mom?  That question alone might bring a smile to some of your faces because everybody has a story and everybody’s story has a meaning.  Our story is that our Mom was caring and selfless.  Just like our Dad, she felt that it was her duty to serve whenever and wherever she was needed.  She worked hard, always.  She was a wife, a mother, a grandmother and great-grandmother, a Sunday School teacher and she led bible study groups for years.    She lived the life of a true Christian who constantly looked up to others and never down at anyone.  Although she did work for a time in the H.L. Turner parts department and filleted fish for Hartley at Erieau Packers, her real life’s work happened every day in her home community and in her church community at St. Paul’s Anglican Church.  She loved people, especially children and to her, a stranger was just a friend she hadn’t met yet.  She had the ability to carry on a conversation with anybody and she used that every day.  We will miss her greatly and we are thankful for the kindness and compassion that the staff at the Blenheim Community Village have shown to her for the last three years.  Sometimes God works in mysterious ways and her declining health may well have been the only way that she would sit back and allow us to take care of her for once.

Family and friends are invited to gather with us at the Blenheim Community Funeral Home on Friday January 21, 2022 from 1:00 – 7:00 p.m. for visitation.  Due to the current COVID restrictions, friends wishing to attend the visitation are requested to call the Funeral Home for a scheduled visitation time.  Following a private funeral service on Saturday conducted by Pastor Tim Joyce, Mom will be laid to rest with Dad in Evergreen Cemetery.

Friends wishing to remember Mom with a memorial donation are asked to consider St. Paul’s Church in Erieau or the Word of Life Soup Kitchen.