Cornelius (Cornie) George Regehr died Dec. 26, 2010 at 99. He was born Sept. 27, 1911 in Terek, Russia to Peter H. and Anna (Reimer) Regehr. While his parents were in conscientious objector camps, Cornie lived with a teenaged aunt. In 1925, the family immigrated to Canada, settling in Coaldale, Alta. Cornie met Katie Klassen who worked at his family’s honey farm; they were married Apr. 21, 1940. They moved to Yarrow, B.C. Cornie trained as a welder and built Liberty Ships in North Vancouver. From 1944–49, he worked at Yarrow Co-op, followed by 20 years on construction projects in Yarrow, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and New Westminster, B.C. In the ’50s, he designed a commercial sprayer and sprayed local berry farms. From 1970–82, he delivered mail for Canada Post. Cornie was active in Yarrow MB Church as Sunday school timekeeper and treasurer in the ’40s, secretary from 1950–75, and German choir director from 1984–89. Retirement was a time to pursue his love of poetry, through which he shared his love for God. In 1993, Cornie and Katie moved into an Abbotsford condo, where residents relied on Cornie and his toolkit. Cornie and Katie joined Clearbrook MB Church, Abbotsford. There Cornie sang in the German choir and assisted with the tape-duplicating ministry. Cornie cared for Katie until her death in 2002. Two years later, he married Elizabeth Wipf. She died in 2008. Predeceased by Katie, Elizabeth; Cornie is mourned by children Hank, Chuck, John, Marge Friesen; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; in-laws.
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