My parents were Wilhelm, born 1897 and Maria Enns, born 1896, both in Michaelsburg, Russia. I was one of a set of twins; my brother Wilhelm died at three days of age. When my family left Russia in 1926, it consisted of sisters Anna, Mary and I, along with our parents. We crossed the Atlantic on the SS Marburn.

It was September when we arrived in Duff, Saskatchewan where we moved in with our Uncle Bernard and Katerine Enns. My first memory took place in Saskatchewan when I was about four years old. One evening, a few days before Christmas, our front door opened suddenly and someone threw in a handful of peanuts. Mother said, "That must be Santa Claus; you children had better be good!" We later heard that it had been our father.

We soon moved to Chortiz, Manitoba where I started school. It was a one-room schoolhouse with about 20 pupils. One day, a man entered carrying a black suitcase. He asked the grade one class to come to the front of the room. The he pointed to me and said, "Count the children" and I said, "Count the children". Then he said, "Your count the children", and I said "You count the children". On our way home from school that day, sister Anna said, "You embarrassed me! I'm going to teach you to speak English"; and she did.

A short time later, we moved to Grünthal, Manitoba. Our teacher there was Mr. Heidebrecht who later taught in Reesor, Ontario. I really liked him and enjoyed school. When I was in Grade 2, one Friday afternoon, Mr. Heidebrecht asked me to pose for the Grade 8 art class. I needed to stand on a step at the front of the room with my back to the class and the students were to draw a picture of me. I felt really proud, thinking that I must be the prettiest girl in school. Later sister Anna said to me, "The teacher chose you because you wore a dark dress with a white apron, and had two long braids hanging down your back!"

About a year later, we moved again - to Barkfield, Manitoba. Here my parents bought a small farm. We went to the Barkfield School for four years and then, in 1936, we moved to Leamington, Ontario. Here we first lived in a big house at the corner of Erie and Foundry Streets. We shared this house with two other families, namely Cornie Bergens and Peter Fasts; each had their own living quarters.

When I was 12 years old, my parents took me out of school and I went to Captain Penners in Amherstburg to babysit. Mr. Penner, a sea captain, needed to sail far away and his wife Agnes, who had a baby boy, wanted someone to stay with her. After about one week, Mrs. Penner noticed that I was homesick and she asked me to write a letter to my parents. I felt much better after that. That was the first letter I wrote; I've written many since that time and they always make me feel good.

Just before Christmas of that same year, I stayed home from school again. This time I needed to babysit for Mrs. Friesen who was sick; the family didn't want to leave her alone. After Christmas of 1937, I left school, this time to Henry Browns. Mrs. Brown had a new baby and her husband was sick in bed. I spent most of my time playing with two-year-old Rudy. I was spending a lot of time away from school by now and enjoyed it.

In spring we moved to Kingsville, where father worked for Peter Thiessens. Their daughter was Karen; Mrs Thiessen was Rev. Lepp's sister. After two years, we moved next door to the Mathew place where father worked as a share-grower. Here I attended the Albertville school. I often stayed home to help on the farm. When I turned 14 that Spring, father said, "Helen, today you can bring your books home; no more school." I was both sad and happy. I would miss my friends at school, but my parents, with a family of eight, needed money to pay hospital bills, so I was happy to help along in a small way.

From ages 15 to 21 I worked on the farm in summer and in the tobacco factory during the winter months. First I worked in Kingsville at Rock City Tobacco Factory, and later in Leamington, at the Imperial Tobacco Factory.

Our family attended the Mennonite church on Oak Street of Leamington. Here I met my future husband John Dick. We both went to choir practice where Mr. John (District) Janzen and Mr. Henry Krueger were choir directors. In those days, the young people met at choir and had lawn parties in the summer months. In winter we went skating at the gravel pit and had house parties.

One year, at our annual Sunday School picnic at Point Pelee Park, a group of young people were standing together and sister Anna invited them to our place; "We have a sweet cherry tree", she said. As soon as we arrived home, a car with two young fellows drove up. They were John Dick and his cousin Jake Dick. We had a nice visit and ate lots of cherries. When they left, Anna and I wondered if they would come back. Two weeks later, at a lawn party at Jake and Anna Toews on concession 4, John asked if he could take me home. I accepted gladly. John Driedger and Marianne Rempel were already dating and the four of us had many good times together. We are friends to this day.

In 1942 John, along with a group of draft-age young Mennonite men, went to CO camp in Sault St. Marie for one winter. Here they helped build roads. In the meantime, our family had moved to Oak Street in Leamington. We girls did farm work in summer and factory work in during the winter months. I attended five different schools in eight years.

In November of 1944, John and I had our engagement announced in our church and in April of 1945 we were married there by Rev. N.N.Driedger. A reception for about 100 guests was held in the basement of the church. Our honeymoon was delayed until fall because of gas rationing and shortage of money. In the fall we went to Cumberland Falls, Kentucky. We first lived on the Dick home farm and John worked for contractor Earl Pearce.

In 1946 we bought a 50 acre farm on Road 6 of Mersea township. After 53 years, we moved into the town of Leamington on Pickwick Street. John and I enjoy good health and we often travel to see our children and their families. Today we have five children and 10 grandchildren. We thank God for a rich and blessed 64 years together.

AK2009

  (back)