March 27, 1938 - October 5, 2023
In Loving Memory ~
It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Gerda Rus. Gerda was born in Germany and immigrated to Canada in 1956 with her husband (Wolfgang Schaefer) and her parents (Fridolin and Kreszensia Pfeifer).
The family bought a bare piece of swampy land in Matsqui. After years of hard work, they turned the land into a beautiful blueberry farm and built two homes. The family proudly lived there for several decades.
Gerda and Wolfgang had two children over those years, a son (Erich) and a daughter (Heidi). They were very proud parents.
Gerda was a proud member of the Abbotsford-Mission Alpen German Club for over 50 years. For decades she volunteered as the club's secretary. Gerda attended many functions over the years and went on numerous trips with the club. She loved the members of the club and thought of them as family.
Gerda really enjoyed being a member of the club's choir and getting together with her choirmates and singing at events.
Gerda lived in Centennial Court for many years. She loved living there and often spoke of how kind and caring her neighbours (whom she also considered as close friends) were.
Gerda was sadly predeceased by her husband Wolfgang Schaefer and her second husband Branco Rus.
She is survived by her son Erich Schaefer (Diane) and her daughter Heidi Bilodeau (Mike), grandchildren Jamie Fraser (Nancy), Randy Schaefer (Jenny) and Raquel Linfield (Andrew) and great-grandchildren, Hailey, Abigail, Lillian, Stella, Jack, Logan and Emily.
The family would like to thank the Abbotsford-Mission Alpen Club and Gerda's friends at Centennial Court for the many years of happiness and friendship they shared with Gerda.
Those wishing to make a donation in Gerda's memory may do so to the B.C. Cancer Foundation, which Gerda was a volunteer of for decades.