Rose Kroeker was the fifth of seven daughters born to Abram and Maria (Dyck) Friesen at Beaver Flat SK. With only one son in the family, the girls were all required to do their share of manual farm work as they grew up. Until Rose was 17, all their farming was done using horses.

It was in November 1948, at a Janz Quartet evangelistic service in her home church, that she accepted the Lord as her Saviour. From 1950-1953, she went to Millar College of the Bible, graduating in April 1953.

On May 22, 1955, she married Cornelius (Neil) Kroeker, and they farmed his parents' farm – a half-section of poor rocky soil. In 1958 it was so dry that the seeded grain didn't even sprout, so they moved to Alberta, looking for a farm job. For the next six years, they moved a number of times, from one farm job to the next.

In the fall of 1964, they were able to rent 110 acres a few miles out of Lethbridge. Here they started to milk cows, selling the cream. Rose took on house cleaning jobs and later worked in a dry-cleaning business in order to have money for food.

In the spring of 1969, the family moved to Daysland where they rented a farm, again milking cows. In 1974, the widow who owned the farm remarried and she and her new husband decided to take it over again. Neil and Rose had to move again. This time they were able to purchase a half-section of land NE of Strome, where they lived for the next 24 years. By April 1998, when they moved to Three Hills to retire, they had replaced the old house, built a new dairy barn, and made countless improvements.

Rose is survived by her daughter Sandra (Charles) and their daughters Carole and Aileen; sons Kitt and Phil (Renee) and their children: Dustin, Dallen (Krystalee), Jayden, Hannah, Keira, Jaxon and Callum, and great grandchild, Missy; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband Neil in 2018; her parents, four of her sisters, Martha, Dora, Elsie and Evlin, and her first great grandchild, Eli.

Memorial Donations can be made to

Jewish Voice Ministries of Canada - Box 18100 Delta, BC V4L 2M4

Focus on the Family Canada - donate by calling 1-800-661-9800

The Graveside Service will be livestreamed. Click HERE to view livestream.