Tribute

Inga was born in Northern Germany (Grafelde) on Jan. 10 1925  and grew up in a small community, Syke,   near  Bremen.  Her  father was a high school teacher.  He was very hard working, and raised rabbits, silkworms and kept bees.   He tended a large forest garden.  Inga’s mother sewed, embroidered, knit, cooked and kept house for her growing family.

Inga was the eldest of seven children, and was always busy babysitting.  Her very kind and much loved mother died of a pulmonary embolism when she was 15.  After that, Inga had to take on a lot more household responsibilities.

After secondary school,  Inga started nurse’s  training in Tuebingen.  It was during the war,  so she recalled always being hungry and tired.  The nurses  often had to move all our patients into the hospital basement because of nightly air raids.

After the war, Inga spent 5 years in England in Wolverhamptom.  She studied midwifery and worked as a midwife.  She really enjoyed these  years.  She delivered over 1,000 babies in England.  Inga often visited London’s art galleries and museums during this time.  Inga  then returned to Germany and did sick children’s  nursing in Bremen.  In 1956 she decided to emigrate to Canada.  Inga  found a nursing position in St. Cathrine’s , Ontario,  and  she left Germany by boat with one suitcase and 20$.

In St. Cathrines  Inga worked in the maternity ward.  After  a few years she moved to Edmonton and nursed there.  She soon became head nurse of a maternity ward.

In Edmonton,  Inga met her husband Michael Frass at the home of mutual friends.  They began corresponding,  and then decided to marry.  He did not want to come to Edmonton,  so Inga moved to Castlegar to live with him.  She worked at Castlegar’s hospital, and later at KLDH after moving to Nelson.  Inga was not able to transfer  her RN credentials directly from Alberta to BC, and it took some years before she became an RN here.   Inga chose to work at Mt. St. Francis’  hospital since she could get a part – time position there when her children were small.  She stayed there until her retirement. 

Michael and Inga bought a house on 614 Latimer St.  They had 2 children,  Chris and Hanna.  Michael worked at the CPR, and was tragically killed in an  accident   in 1966  when the children were very small.  As a widow with 2 children,  Inga worked very hard and had to be very thrifty.  She had   very kind neighbors on Latimer ST.  The family later moved to Rosemont when the children started school. 

Over the years, Inga was very busy working,  raising 2 children, caring for her beautiful garden,  canning and preserving,  doing needlework,  reading many books, doing crossword puzzles, listening to CBC radio and feeding birds.   Inga loved growing medicinal herbs.  She continued doing a lot of handicrafts and gardening after retirement.  Inga really kept herself active and busy with all her hobbies.  She was a member of the rock club, and used to volunteer at the IODE.   She went to the Lutheran Church.   Inga was  a bit shy,  but very well read and well informed.

Inga worked hard all of her life, and took  pride in what she had achieved.   Inga  saved hard for her children and grandchildren.  Though she was a single parent (widow),  She  save to give both  Chris and Hanna  property and  to build Chris’ house.   She was very fair.   She was an unselfishly loyal mother, she cared for and loved us deeply.  Her children and grandchildren came first for her.   We were always in her thoughts and on her mind.

Our dear mom was very independent until a sudden stroke May 2011.  After her stroke  Inga understood her surroundings,  but had difficulty expressing herself (expressive aphasia and dyspraxia).   She still loved to see friends and family, loved watching  good movies, the news,  soccer,  nature and science programs.  She  liked  puzzles and looking at books.   She especially appreciated books about geology, rocks and minerals.    After her stroke,  Inga had a beautiful smile,  and though she could not speak, her beautiful smiles brightened our days and our lives.    During the last 2 years of her life, Inga was dearly cared for by the  Staff  of Jubilee Manor.   She passed away in the morning of August 7th 2013.  Inga was much loved, and she will be missed so much. 

Inga is survived by her  grandchildren Chad  Frass and Elise Tesling;  Her children Chris Frass and  Hanna Tesling;   Her brothers, sisters and inlaws in Germany   Hilde,  Wolfgang and Lore,  Gerhard and Annemarie,  Herman (surname Loennecke) and Helga and Juergen  Richter Loennecke.    She is  survived by her nieces, nephews and their families.
Inga was predeceased by her husband  Michael Frass and his family,  her grandson Tyler Frass, her sister Irmgard Loennecke,  her parents Herman and Marta Loennecke (Brauns).  It comforts us that she is with these loved ones. 

Inga will be cremated,  and will have a funeral and memorial ceremony in late September or early October.   She will have a second memorial ceremony in Syke,  Germany (where she grew up).
 
Inga will be missed very much by her children, grandchildren, relatives and friends. Our Oma and Mami has passed on.  Our hearts are broken,   and we long for her beautiful smiles.