My parents were Peter and Susannah Klassen Warkentin. I remember having to stay at home with sister Susie and the maid when brother Peter, who was seven, and my parents went to church. That was in 1920, when I was five.

That same year, the Bolscheviks came and we had 48 hours to leave our home or die. As a result, we butchered a cow, a pig and chickens, and canned them all in one day. The following day, we got up early and loaded two wagons: one with feed for the horses who pulled our wagons and the other for furniture, bedding and food. We headed for Gnadenthal, where David Mathies' parents, Abram and Liese lived. Across the road from them was an empty house into which we moved.

When Uncle Peter Wiens was shot and killed at a meeting, our Aunt Maria Wiens asked us to move into their Doddy house. So we moved to Tiegerweide. We children had much fun there with the cousins and other village children. Here we stayed until 1924, when we emigrated to Canada.

We travelled on the Montcalm and the Minnedosa. By this time Peter was 11, I was 9, and Susie was 7years. We lived in Waterloo on the Enoch Wideman farm. They had six children and we got along well with them. Dad worked on their grain farm. Here we stayed for 11 months; we attended the St. Jacob's church.

Our family became part of the Ressor Settlement in Northern Ontario with the Toews, Bergen, Dyck, Heidebrecht, Mathies families and others. Our house was near the school so we had a short walk there. Mr. Heidebrecht was our teacher. Our family stayed in Reesor until 1927. Then we moved to Essex County. We stayed overnight at the Abram Mathies family in Kingsville, then we went to the John Dick farm. I was almost 13 years old by this time and Dad thought that I should work out. I found a job at Mrs. Fehr's doing housework and cooking in Essex. I spoke little English at this time. I had Sundays off and got $5 weekly which was considered good wages. Mrs. Fehr's daughter worked in Windsor and Mrs. Fehr took care of her two grandsons, 6 and 8 years. I stayed here for four months after which I begged Dad to let me go to school.

I attended the Inman School with Miss Blair as teacher. I finished Junior 3^rd and left in March when the planting started. I did not return to school. By this time we lived on the Mill's farm and I helped milk cows there in the morning and evening. When Mrs. Friesen's sister, Mrs. Giesbrecht, had to have surgery, I went to help her.

Then I worked for Mrs. Moss on Nelson Street in Leamington and attended the Mennonite church on Oak Street. Here I met John Konrad. We were married in 1938 and lived first on #3 highway west of Leamington, then we moved to concession 3. We raised two children. My husband John died in 1995 and our daughter Eleanor died in 2007. Today I am a resident at the Mennonite Home where I am lovingly cared for.

AK 2008

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