Obituary of Agnes Gerein

Agnes Anna Mary Feist was born on February 26, 1926 to Fred and Eliana (Ella) Feist of Wilkie, Saskatchewan. She was the ninth child of what was to grow to be a family of seventeen. Agnes attended Logan and Maxwell Schools. After completing grade eight she stayed home to help on the family farm, and in her mid-teens she started working several jobs in Wilkie. In February 1944, she met James (Jim) Gerein. They were engaged in 1945 and married on April 24, 1946. Jim and Agnes worked as farm labourers for a few years, both before and after they were married. When Jim got a job on the railroad section crew, they moved to Wilkie where their two eldest children Harold (Hal) and Rita were born. In 1951, they moved to Bodo, Alberta, where Jim was employed as a second man with Searle Grain. It was there that they completed their family, adding Doris, Gerald, Daniel, Susan, Fred, James, Leslie and Stephen. Jim left the grain agent business after thirteen years to take up his what was a part-time bulk fuel business full time, adding a service station/garage, and later the post office. The family all contributed to the success of the business. Jim and Agnes resided in Bodo for the next thirty-five years. When they retired in 1986, and moved to Peachland, British Columbia. Agnes lost her husband of forty-five years, just five short years after they retired. She continued to live in Peachland area for the next twenty-three years. When Agnes’ health started failing, she moved to back to Alberta in 2014 and spent time in Camrose, Didsbury and finally in the Long-Term Care Unit in Provost. Agnes passed away peacefully at the age of ninety-four. Agnes was a very special lady and will be lovingly remembered by her ten children, Hal (Peggy), Rita (Fred) Morrish, Doris (Mike) Ganser, Gerald (Linda), Dan (Hilda), Sue Mortensen, Fred, James (Joan); Les (Val) and Stephen; twenty grandchildren, Sarah and Laura Gerein; Don, Scott, Brad and Jacki Morrish; Michael Jr., Tony, Rob and Corrina Ganser; Nicole and Kurtis Gerein; Niels and Julia Mortensen; Kody, Janelle and James Gerein; and Larissa and Terrell Gerein; thirty great grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren. Agnes is also remembered by her three remaining siblings, Tony Feist, Betty Wagner; and sister, Margaret Feist. Agnes was predeceased by her parents, Fred and Ella Feist; parents-in-law, Michael and Odelia Gerein; husband, Jim Gerein; grandson, David Morrish; great-great grandson, Hayes Ganser; and thirteen siblings among her immediate family.