Obituary for Ida Pauline Kihn
Ida Kihn Obituary, April 19, 2023
July 15, 1926 Inglis, Manitoba, to April 3, 2023 Didsbury, Alberta
Ida Pauline Kihn (nee Freier), passed away peacefully at the Bethany Care Centre. Loving wife to Alfred (deceased Dec. 2016), she was the mother to six children: Helga (Dan) Jensen, Linda (Terry) Zibin, Dave, Mark, Tim (Tammy) and Ronald. In addition, she had 12 grandchildren (one deceased) and she had eight great grandchildren.
Ida was born in the family farmhouse to Gustav and Paulina (Marshall) Freier. She was one of 10 children. She was the last one living from among her siblings: Elsie, Annie, Martha, Freida, Wilhelm, Lydia, Alvin, Mary, and David. Ida leaves behind 34 nephews and nieces.
After completing Grade school in the Inglis district, Ida helped out the family farm for many years. That often meant helping her mother around the house, or helping her dad with the farming chores. The age of the farm tractor was taking hold after World War II and Ida learned to drive and handle the smaller Ford 8N tractor.
In her 20’s, Ida struck out for Dryden, Ontario., answering a Help Wanted ad to work in a Pharmacy. Sh often worked extra at tourist camps in the area. Her roles there included the mundane like cooking and doing laundry, but Ida flourished, hosting campfire singing and performing one-person concerts. She led the singing, played the guitar, and crooned out tunes on her harmonica. In fact, Ida had the ability to play eight different musical instruments - a talent she used throughout her life to spread joy and encouragement.
While working in Dryden, Ida met Alfred Kihn at the local Lutheran Church. They married in April, 1955, and began a family. Alfred had his trucking business and Ida was happy in her mother and home-maker role.
Twelve years and six children later, in 1967, Ida became a farm lady again as she and Alfred purchased a farm at Basswood, Manitoba. Their beef cattle and grain farm, right along the Yellowhead Highway, provided a great setting to raise six rambunctious children. Ida was always happy that she had plenty of heathy farm-raised food for her “gang” as she often called them. The times were tough on that farm occasionally, but Ida had a “can do” and resilient spirit and she and Alfred forged along best they could.
In 1978, with her children leaving home, Ida and Alfred moved to Creston, B.C., and lived in the mountains among the apple and cherry trees. Alfred was employed in the lumbering business.
There in Creston, the nest of Kihn children emptied, and so in 1989, She and Alfred retired to Didsbury. All of their children lived in Alberta at that time.
In Didsbury, they enjoyed great retirement years. They put miles on their camperized van touring B.C. and Alberta; they showed up on children’s doorsteps for a few days; and they perhaps allowed themselves a rare morning to sleep in.
As the years went by, they moved into the Bethany Care Centre, where Alfred passed away in 2016. He had fought dementia for several years.
In all of her stops along life’s way, Ida sought to spread joy through music, songs and encouraging words. Even at last, compromised by her failing body, Ida sang songs from memory. Her list went back to the tough 1930s, where songs like “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine” held the day. One of her favourites was the old-time gospel song, “I’ll fly away, O glory, I’ll fly away.” Bethany staffers would join in.
Strong in the Christian faith, Ida sought to be an example of Jesus’ love and forgiveness – of which her six children needed plenty of both. She was faithful in serving her Lord, and schooled her children in Christian paths. Going to church was a regular part of the week – to re-charge life’s batteries, she once said.
Ida made the best of what life gave her. She was skilled as a mother with talents in baking, cooking, sewing, canning fruit, gardening, and household management. She was also a farm gal and knew how to milk cows, butcher a steer, handle farm machinery, and practice animal husbandry. She once saved a litter of piglets by convincing Alfred that a last-minute medicinal injection was needed. No grass grew under her feet.
Ida sought to share what she had with others, whether giving farm produce to neighbors, helping out her extended family in Winnipeg, or in later years, sliding her children and grandchildren a few dollars. She realized that our great God had given her much, and it was her mission to pass it along.
She passed away recovering from a mild stroke which she had suffered in December. Ida had issues with dropping blood pressure, and on an April spring Monday afternoon, God called His dear child Ida home to her heaven rest. We shall miss her greatly.
July 15, 1926 Inglis, Manitoba, to April 3, 2023 Didsbury, Alberta
Ida Pauline Kihn (nee Freier), passed away peacefully at the Bethany Care Centre. Loving wife to Alfred (deceased Dec. 2016), she was the mother to six children: Helga (Dan) Jensen, Linda (Terry) Zibin, Dave, Mark, Tim (Tammy) and Ronald. In addition, she had 12 grandchildren (one deceased) and she had eight great grandchildren.
Ida was born in the family farmhouse to Gustav and Paulina (Marshall) Freier. She was one of 10 children. She was the last one living from among her siblings: Elsie, Annie, Martha, Freida, Wilhelm, Lydia, Alvin, Mary, and David. Ida leaves behind 34 nephews and nieces.
After completing Grade school in the Inglis district, Ida helped out the family farm for many years. That often meant helping her mother around the house, or helping her dad with the farming chores. The age of the farm tractor was taking hold after World War II and Ida learned to drive and handle the smaller Ford 8N tractor.
In her 20’s, Ida struck out for Dryden, Ontario., answering a Help Wanted ad to work in a Pharmacy. Sh often worked extra at tourist camps in the area. Her roles there included the mundane like cooking and doing laundry, but Ida flourished, hosting campfire singing and performing one-person concerts. She led the singing, played the guitar, and crooned out tunes on her harmonica. In fact, Ida had the ability to play eight different musical instruments - a talent she used throughout her life to spread joy and encouragement.
While working in Dryden, Ida met Alfred Kihn at the local Lutheran Church. They married in April, 1955, and began a family. Alfred had his trucking business and Ida was happy in her mother and home-maker role.
Twelve years and six children later, in 1967, Ida became a farm lady again as she and Alfred purchased a farm at Basswood, Manitoba. Their beef cattle and grain farm, right along the Yellowhead Highway, provided a great setting to raise six rambunctious children. Ida was always happy that she had plenty of heathy farm-raised food for her “gang” as she often called them. The times were tough on that farm occasionally, but Ida had a “can do” and resilient spirit and she and Alfred forged along best they could.
In 1978, with her children leaving home, Ida and Alfred moved to Creston, B.C., and lived in the mountains among the apple and cherry trees. Alfred was employed in the lumbering business.
There in Creston, the nest of Kihn children emptied, and so in 1989, She and Alfred retired to Didsbury. All of their children lived in Alberta at that time.
In Didsbury, they enjoyed great retirement years. They put miles on their camperized van touring B.C. and Alberta; they showed up on children’s doorsteps for a few days; and they perhaps allowed themselves a rare morning to sleep in.
As the years went by, they moved into the Bethany Care Centre, where Alfred passed away in 2016. He had fought dementia for several years.
In all of her stops along life’s way, Ida sought to spread joy through music, songs and encouraging words. Even at last, compromised by her failing body, Ida sang songs from memory. Her list went back to the tough 1930s, where songs like “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine” held the day. One of her favourites was the old-time gospel song, “I’ll fly away, O glory, I’ll fly away.” Bethany staffers would join in.
Strong in the Christian faith, Ida sought to be an example of Jesus’ love and forgiveness – of which her six children needed plenty of both. She was faithful in serving her Lord, and schooled her children in Christian paths. Going to church was a regular part of the week – to re-charge life’s batteries, she once said.
Ida made the best of what life gave her. She was skilled as a mother with talents in baking, cooking, sewing, canning fruit, gardening, and household management. She was also a farm gal and knew how to milk cows, butcher a steer, handle farm machinery, and practice animal husbandry. She once saved a litter of piglets by convincing Alfred that a last-minute medicinal injection was needed. No grass grew under her feet.
Ida sought to share what she had with others, whether giving farm produce to neighbors, helping out her extended family in Winnipeg, or in later years, sliding her children and grandchildren a few dollars. She realized that our great God had given her much, and it was her mission to pass it along.
She passed away recovering from a mild stroke which she had suffered in December. Ida had issues with dropping blood pressure, and on an April spring Monday afternoon, God called His dear child Ida home to her heaven rest. We shall miss her greatly.