Obituary of Maria Riedstra

Riedstra, Maria (nee Langerak) ~ Passed away on Monday, March 18, 2013 at Parkwood Mennonite Home, Waterloo, formerly of Elmira and of St. Jacobs Meadows. Devoted wife of the late Richard Riedstra (December 7, 2011). Loving mother of Lutzen Riedstra and Carolynn Bart-Riedstra of Stratford, Henry and Linda Riedstra of Stratford, and Maria Riedstra and Andrew Hellebust of Toronto. Dear grandmother of Lutzen, Kyla (Rob), Janelle (Steven), Davin, Eric, and Laila. She was predeceased by her parents Hendrik and Maria (van Diermen) Langerak. Maria was a graduate in violin performance from the Conservatory of Music in Utrecht, The Netherlands. She was a violinist with the Brabant Symphony Orchestra, assistant concert master with the New Brunswick Symphony Orchestra prior to becoming concert master of the KW Symphony Orchestra. She was a string music teacher for the Waterloo County Board of Education in the Elmira area for many years in addition to her many private students. For many years, Maria was choir master at Gale Presbyterian Church, Elmira. For their work in the Arts in the community, Richard and Maria were joint recipients of the KW Arts Award in 1990. The family will receive relatives and friends at the Dreisinger Funeral Home, Elmira, on Thursday, March 21st and Friday, March 22nd from 7-9 p.m. The funeral service will be held at Gale Presbyterian Church, 10 Barnswallow Drive, Elmira, on Saturday, March 23, 2013 at 2 p.m. Interment to follow in Elmira Union Cemetery. A reception will follow in the church hall. As expressions of sympathy, donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society or the KW Symphony. Service Summary Visitation: Thursday, March 21, 2013 from 7-9 p.m. and Friday, March 22, 2013 from 7-9 p.m. at the funeral home ~ Funeral Service: Saturday, March 23, 2013 at 2 p.m. at Gale Presbyterian Church (10 Barnswallow Dr., Elmira) ~ Donations: Alzheimer Society (Kitchener Waterloo Chapter, 831 Frederick St., Kitchener, ON N2B 2B4 519-742-1422)or the KW Symphony (36 King St. W., Kitchener, ON N2G 1A3)