Sara Stoesz

Sara (Unger) Stoesz, Altona, Manitoba, passed away October 26, 2025 at Boyne Lodge in Carman at the age of 95. She had been in a very slow declining health with dementia since 2008 but continued to be active and responsive through these past years. She was born September 30, 1930, at Whitewater, Manitoba, to Jacob A. and Susanna (Harms) Unger.

Loving mother, grand-mother, and great-grandmother, she leaves to mourn her children and their spouses, Don (Naomi Brubacher) Stoesz, Bowden, Alberta; and Dennis (Rhoda Lehman) Stoesz, Morden; Vi Stoesz (Barry Spain), Winnipeg; and Yvonne Stoesz (Brent Gouthro), Morden, Manitoba.

She also leaves to mourn 12 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren: Matt, Kevin (Allison: Emerson and Blake), Justin (Kathleen: Arlo, June); and Sonya; Jeff (Tamar: Kwame), Phil; Kory (Rachael: Hazel and Odin), Ryan (Laura), Kalynn (Kyle: Nova and Corbin); and Miranda (Jordan: Marshall), Jared, and Mei (Pradyum).

She was predeceased by her husband, Ed C. Stoesz, who passed away on March 6, 2022, her parents, and her siblings and spouses, Sue (Frank) Engbrecht, Jake (Anne) Unger, Abe Unger, Pete (Rita) Unger, and Henry Unger.

Mom grew up in Whitewater, Manitoba on a cattle and grain farm and grew up stooking sheaves and being a tom boy. She completed her Grade 7 at Mountainside school then had to stay home to help look after the household with her mother since her older sister was married. Mom attended Elim Bible School for 2 years from 1948-1950 and valued this Christian education which set the direction for her life. She met our dad Ed there and together they made their life in Altona. They were both proud to earn their GED in their later years.

Mom was an active mother of four and a volunteer her entire adult life. She was active in the MCC thrift shop in Altona from 1972-2015, which she helped found with three other women in 1972. She and Dad were active volunteers in the Altona Thrift shop from its beginnings. She was the MCC Thrift shop Coordinator for all MCC thrift shop in Manitoba for 6 years. Mom was a faithful member of Altona Bergthaler Church and taught Sunday School for many years.

Mom and dad volunteered for shorter stints around the world from 1978 – 2004… in Asuncion, Paraguay; Texas; Bogota, Colombia; Koinonia Farms, Georgia; Welcome Inn, Hamilton, Ontario; Kinshasa, Congo; Akron, Pennsylvania; Ten Thousand Villages, Ottawa; MDS in Florida; Centro Menno in Bolivia; Habitat for Humanity in Jamaica and with the gleaners in B.C. Mom was often the cook but wouldn’t hesitate to pick up a paint brush, mop and even learned how to input data in the Ten Thousand Villages inventory system.

Mom and dad were also able to visit Russia in 1984, the birth place of mom’s parents, and two oldest siblings and take many trips to Mennonite Conferences and to an Anabaptist Tour in Europe in 1992.

The family would like to thank the caregivers at Altona East View Care home and Boyne Lodge care home for the loving care they gave mom these last 4 years.

Donations in her memory may be made to Mennonite Central Committee.

Funeral Service will be held Saturday, November 1st at 2:00 p.m. the Altona Bergthaler Mennonite Church,

Livestream of the service is available on the Altona Bergthaler Church website abchurchcommunity.ca

Burial at the Altona Cemetery following the faspa...