Peter E. Guenther

Peter E. Guenther

February 19, 1931 – December 30, 2024

Peter Edward Guenther died early in the morning on December 30, 2024, at the age of 93. His health which had been failing the last few months declined rapidly in the last couple of weeks, and he passed away peacefully in his sleep. Peter was born to Frank and Elizabeth Guenter in St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon on February 19, 1931. He was the eldest of eight children. He grew up on a farm southwest of Hague, SK, and attended school in that town. In 1945, the family moved to a farm in the Steele School District southeast of Hepburn, SK. Dad enjoyed his studies and was sorry to have to leave Hague after completing only Grade 8. He was able to do his Grade 9 by correspondence under the supervision of the teacher at Steele but was increasingly occupied with working on the farm with his parents and younger siblings.

Peter recalled that it was in 1950 when he went forward in an evangelistic meeting in Osler to receive Jesus Christ as his Saviour, beginning a walk of faith that continued for the next 74 years. In 1952 he was baptized in the Old Colony Mennonite Church in Neuhorst. It was during that time that he also began working in Saskatoon, eventually working for Patrick Sewer and Water in the summers and in logging camps with his brother Cornie in the Burns Lake area in northern BC. After he was married, he worked for Acme Plumbing and Heating for about 10 years during which he successfully completed his exams to become a journeyman plumber.

Peter had hitchhiked to Oshawa to purchase a brand-new Chevy pickup truck in 1954. This came in handy three years later when he began courting Mary Wiebe, daughter of Henry and Maria Wiebe who lived near Gruenfeld, SK. Dad and Mom were married in the Neuhorst Church on November 9, 1958, and held the reception on the Wiebe farm. One of the last pictures we have of our parents was taken on that farm a day before their 66^th wedding anniversary. The first year and half of their marriage, Dad and Mom lived and worked in Saskatoon. Then, in 1960, they moved to the farm near Hepburn which Wayne and Ruth now farm. The four of us were born in the following eleven years and joined in the work in the garden and on the field as soon as we were old enough.

Dad has always enjoyed studying and teaching the Scriptures. He started teaching Sunday School at the Neuhorst Church in 1968 and continued teaching at Mission Chapel once it was established in 1974. He and Mom were very involved in starting the new church in Osler, and it became the centre of their lives from then onwards. Along with teaching, Dad helped with the construction of the new building, served as the Treasurer and as a Board member, and eventually was elected and ordained as a Deacon in 1982.

Dad loved to travel. Every summer we went camping as a family or visited extended family in other provinces. Once we were older, Dad began his trips overseas—usually with Mom, but sometimes by himself or sometimes as a tour guide. They made frequent trips to Haiti but also travelled to Bolivia, Mexico, Israel, Albania, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, and Ukraine.

In 1995, Dad and Mom retired from farming and moved to Warman, SK, but continued to be actively involved in the lives of their children and grandchildren, hosting family gatherings (always with lots of food!) and eagerly attending graduations and sports activities. They also continued their ministry in the church and their travels but at reduced levels as age increasingly restricted their activities. However, Dad continued to teach an adult Sunday School class till last year and had been active on the board of the Warman Seniors’ Drop-In Centre for a number of years. In 2016, our parents moved into North View Haven, a wing of the Warman Mennonite Special Care Home. As their care needs increased, they relocated to the assisted living wing of the Home where they have been until Dad’s death on December 30.

Peter is survived by his wife, Mary, and his children Ken (Bertha) Guenther, Alan Guenther, Diane (Wes) Fehr, and Wayne (Ruth) Guenther. He is also survived by his eight grandchildren, David, Rachel, Derek, Jeremy, Karalee, Taryn, Jaidyn, and Tynan, and seven great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brothers Cornie (Elizabeth) Guenther and Ben Guenther, his sisters Sarah (Cornie) Guenther and Martha (Bruce) Isaak, his brothers-in-law Simon Froese and Peter Giesbrecht and numerous nieces and nephews. Peter was predeceased by his parents Frank and Elizabeth Guenter, his brother Alfred Guenther, and his sisters Suzie Froese and Mary Giesbrecht.

The Funeral for Peter & Mary Guenther will take place on Friday, January 10, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. at Osler Mission Chapel with interment to follow at Gruenfeld Cemetery. To watch the live stream please click on the link below.

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE STREAM LINK OF FUNERAL SERVICE FOR THE LATE PETER & MARY GUENTHER
(A copy of the live stream will also be available to view after the service at the link above. The copy will be available for approximately 6 months.)

Arrangements entrusted to Dalmeny Funeral Home 306-254-2022.