Reta Lillian Wytenbroek was born in Toronto, Ontario on June 8th, 1921 to Lillian and Lorne Phenix. She has a sister, Elva Warwick(Bill, predeceased) and a brother, Lorne Phenix(Kay). Both live in southern Ontario with their families living close by.
Reta became a stenographer in the Medical Records Dept. at Christie Street Hospital which was used to help returning veterans during the Second World War. Reta also spent leisure time at the University Settlement House. Many troops would visit the Settlement House before being shipped overseas. Reta occasionally invited servicemen over to the Phenix house for Sunday dinner. Mom became pen pals with several young men overseas. One in particular was written to very often over a three and a half year period. When Bud Wytenbroek returned from his service in the United Kingdom and India, he brought with him an engagement ring which Mom gladly accepted. Bud and Reta were married in Toronto on October 20th, 1945 at Michael and All Angels Church.
After a year in Vancouver, the newly married couple went back to Toronto for about four years. During that time, their son, Paul was born. They then moved back to Vancouver for the second time. A couple of years after moving into their first house, in Burnaby, their daughter Lorna was born. The four of us had many happy times on the North Road hobby farm. Paul married Walli Drews in 1974.
The following year after twenty three years Reta and Bud sold their first home and moved about two miles to their only other home, in Coquitlam. During that time their first granddaughter, Lydia was born in 1980, their grandson, Nathan in 1982 and their second granddaughter, Michella in 1983. When both Reta and Bud were retired they traveled to Israel, Greece, Holland, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and all across Canada plus down the West Coast as far as Mexico. They also campered all throughout BC. They enjoyed bowling, singing with the Dogwood Songsters, ceramics classes and the RV Club of which Mom became president for a couple of years. She also was president of the Dogwood Songsters for a couple of years. Mom volunteered at St. Stephens in the Thrift Shop, Craft Club, making coffee after the Sunday services and she attended weekly Bible Studies for many years. She also hosted many parties for the church choir, Songsters and RV Club. Later on, Lorna and Mom also did some traveling and cruises with other St. Stephens friends.
After Bud became ill with dementia he moved into a care home and passed on soon after in 1998. Mom continued to get out of the house by visiting Lorna and Paul and family and continued to be active in the Dogwood Songsters. She went to exercise classes well into her 80's and kept her car and license till 90. You could often see her buzzing around Coquitlam and Burnaby with a car full of ladies going off to a meeting or event.
Her grandson Nathan married Denise in 2005. In 2009 Reta became a great grandmother when Ben was born. In 2013 Sam became her second great grandson. Although they live in Edmonton they were able to have several visits with great grandma in the last few years.
Lorna became a very important caregiver to Mom in helping her with appointments and shopping plus just being Mom's best friend. At the age of 91, Reta became very ill with pancreatitis. When she came back home from the hospital, she needed 24/7 care and we set up that care in her home until provincial services offered her a place at Menno Home in Abbotsford. She refused - outright. To show Mom's determination to stay put, when Paul extolled the virtues of moving into the care home, she said, "If you like it so much, you move in." But she did move into the care home and although Lorna and Paul did not think she would be there long, she enjoyed it and lived another four years. We can't thank the staff and volunteers at Menno Care Home enough for treating Mom like she was family and caring for her needs. When she became blind it really was not that big an obstacle because again the care providers stepped up and saw that Mom's every need was met.
In the last week of Mom's life, Menno went way beyond the call of duty to provide emotional support to Mom and all of her family. A week before Mom went to be with the Lord, she was at a hymn sing and the chaplain, Ingrid, noted that Mom had a great time. A day later she developed a cold and quickly became palliative. Soon after that she passed into the presence of her Saviour. Mom will be interred beside Bud in the Memorial Garden of Saint Stephen the Martyr Anglican Church in North Burnaby. If you do go to see the place where her ashes are interred - just remember that is where her old, worn out jacket is. Mom now has a new jacket that will last for eternity in Heaven.
