STIEWE, WALTRAUD (AKA WALLY/TRUDY)
July 14, 1930 – November 15, 2013
Our loving Mother went home to be with her Lord and will be sadly missed. She is survived by her two daughters,
Karen and Barbara Stiewe of Kelowna, BC, who were at her side until her last breath at Kelowna’s Hospice House. Wally was a cancer survivor for seven years until it returned undetected and quickly claimed her life.
Born in Kronau, Ukraine in 1930 to parents Olga and Woldemar Dohl during the reign of Stalin, she endured
and survived many hardships and losses and immigrated to Vancouver, BC in 1951 with her only surviving family member, mother Olga Dohl (nee Dieno). She married Franz (Frank) Stiewe in 1952, who predeceased her 4 years ago, after 57 years of marriage.
Wally and her husband bought their first orchard in Osoyoos, BC in 1962. There was no water until the well was dug and only the basic amenities of home grown food and shelter. They continued in the orcharding business until retirement and relocated to Kelowna in 1997 to be close to their daughters.
Wally will be remembered for her hard work ethic labouring in the fields long after others were too tired to carry on.
She celebrated all that could be celebrated in life and wrote many poems for special occasions. She loved to sing in accompaniment to her husband’s accordian and continued to sing through to her final days. Gardening and cooking were also her passion. She spent most of her life caretaking others, always making them a priority over her own needs. She will also be remembered for her volunteer work for the Kidney Foundation and other organizations.
Thanks to the Palliative Home Care Support Team with very special thanks to nurse Corinne. Thanks also to Dr. Penner and nurses Rachel and Boel at Kelowna’s Hospice House. Thank you to Pastor Patricia Giannelia at Christ Lutheran Church for her support.