Obituary of Mary Lokken

Mary Lokken (Derksen) was the tenth of twelve children to be born into the family of Abraham and Katherine Derksen. They had recently re-settled into the Teddington Mennonite community when Mary was born April 27, 1921. She never moved more than 30 miles from her place of birth for all her 96 years, 341 days of her life, even when she married our father Lester Lokken on October 16, 1938. They together became an important part of the then thriving Ratner district homesteaders.

Mary and Lester had 3 children, Leslie John, Nathalia Jeanette and Linda Katherine and Mary continued to live on the Lokken homestead farm until a few months after Lester’s death, September 11, 1987. She moved to Nipawin Aspen Grove apartments the following spring and from there to the Riverside Manor where she resided in her own apartment until she made the decision to move to a care facility due to her failing eye sight and loss of hearing. Mary passed away peacefully with her two daughters by her side on April 3^rd, 2018 at 10:45 pm.

Mary was known by her many friends and relatives for her deep love of life and people and her wonderful sense of humour. Mary embraced life with a deep and personal faith in the inspirational Truths of the Holy Scriptures. She found comfort in prayer when troubles came her way or threatened the peace and joy of her family and friends. She loved the songs of faith expressing the Love of God but the legacy she has left us with is of the human heart filled with faith in a loving God which exists and thrives in the realm of the unseen. Mary’s eye sight failed to the point of near blindness, but she had deep in-sight into the troubled areas which required prayer. Mary’s hearing failed to the point that using a phone for communication was impossible, but she heard the hurts of the hearts of people with an inner ear. She was tired and was heard to say, “I just want to see the angels” and “I don’t want to see another birthday”.

We don’t know if mom heard us but my sister and I sang to her as she passed the threshold of Heaven’s open door and we just know the angels met her and took her the rest of the way to Jesus and all our loved ones who have gone before. We mourn not as those who have no hope for we know she will be waiting for us when our turn comes and what a reunion that will be.

Mary was pre-deceased by her beloved husband, Lester, of 49 years, 11 months; her parents and 10 brothers and sisters and one granddaughter, Janice Andrea Eberle. She leaves behind her sister Christine Kusy, who lives in Kaslo, BC; one son Leslie (wife Sara) Lokken of Nipawin; two daughters, Nathalia Eberle and Linda Eberle both from Sorrento, BC; 9 grandchildren, Doug (Carol) Lokken; Lloyd (Sheila) Lokken, Roger (Helen) Eberle; Blaine Eberle; Marianne (Joe) Wourms; John Eberle; Mark (Chris) Eberle; Donna (Jeff) Neiertz; Garth (Stacey) Eberle; 17 great grandchildren and the numbers are growing for great great grandchildren.