Obituary of Alice Beulah Brubacher
BRUBACHER, Alice Beulah
Alice died at Barnswallow Place Care Community in Elmira on Saturday, October 31, 2020 in her 100th year.
The last year or more she lacked her usual zest and energy as dementia took hold of her life making it more of an existence and less of a joy.
She was born in 1921 to Sarah Bechtel and Elias Snider. At the age of eight, after the untimely death of her father, the large family moved from a farm near Breslau and soon settled in St. Jacobs. Later Alice worked on a local farm and at the home of the owner of the St. Jacobs General Store.
In 1945 she married Curtis Brubacher, her sweetheart, whom she had met at the St. Jacobs Mennonite Church. They raised four children on a dairy farm one mile east of Heidelberg.
Alice was predeceased by her husband Curtis (2010), son Ross (2017), sisters Edna (Lincoln) Witmer, Rheta (Homer) Witmer, Elva (David) Horst, Olive (Raymond) Good and brother Bretton (Luella) Snider.
She is survived by her children Sanford (Colette Minion), Maurice (Christine Hemple) and Lorrie (Dan Perlman); grandchildren Sarah White, Tim (Alisa) Brubacher, Shannon Friesen and Josh Friesen; great-grandchildren Isabella White, Brayden White, Maddie Brubacher and Owen Brubacher; as well as by her sister Naomi (Clayton) Sauder and sister-in-law Alice M. (Walter) Brubacher.
Alice was very devoted to providing the best possible care for her disabled son Ross who lived with the family on the farm until age 12.
Her many passions included her flower and vegetable gardens, travelling (including memorable overseas trips to Europe and Australia) and quilting. Her artistic ability was demonstrated in her passion for quilting and throughout her life she designed and stitched numerous quilts for which she won awards and recognition. She stitched the St. Jacobs Mennonite Church Logo on a wall hanging that hung in the church for many years and now hangs in St. Jacobs Place Retirement Residence.
In 1998 she was asked to share some of her creations at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate. A collection of 25 of her quilts entitled "Lasting Legacies" was displayed there for one year. Alice will always be a lasting legacy in our hearts!
The family would like to thank all of the staff for the exceptional and compassionate care provided at both St. Jacobs Place Retirement Residence (2011-18) and Barnswallow Place Care Community (2018-20).
As she wished, Alice has been cremated. Arrangements have been entrusted to Dreisinger Funeral Home, Elmira. A private interment will be held at the St. Jacobs Mennonite Church cemetery.
A celebration of life will be arranged when more normal times return.
Alice was involved with Elmira District Community Living from the beginning and it is one of her favourite charities. EDCL's Reid Woods group home provided excellent care for her disabled son Ross for the last 26 years of his life.
Anyone wishing to make a donation in her memory is invited to donate to EDCL or another charity of your choice.
To donate direct, please send cheques or donate online to the charity of your choice. Call us at the funeral home, 519-669-2207 and we will place a card to the family (as always, we still accept cash or cheque at the funeral home):
Elmira District Community Living
118 Barnswallow Drive
Elmira, ON N3B 2Y9
WE ARE PROUD MEMBERS OF:
