Alene Shantz

1919 - 2009  (89 years)

• Name	Alene Shantz
  Born	17 Dec 1919	Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1, 2]
  Gender	Female
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40845162
  FindAGrave	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40845162
  Interesting	life, history
  Name	Alene Jewitt
  Residence	1921	Erbsville, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	Mennonite
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-302806
  Died	17 Aug 2009	Palmerston, Peel Township, Wellington Co., Ontario   [2]
  Buried	Erb Street Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Person ID	I302806	Generations
  Last Modified	6 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	John S. Shantz,   b. 18 Dec 1879, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 13 Jul 1924  (Age 44 years)
  Mother	Caroline Catherine "Carrie" Erb,   b. 30 Jan 1880, Waterloo Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 11 Mar 1954, RR3, Waterloo, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 74 years)
  Family ID	F3906	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Howard Eldon Jewitt,   b. 8 Nov 1922,   d. 2 Apr 2001  (Age 78 years)
  Married	30 Aug 1947
  Last Modified	7 Apr 2024
  Family ID	F58996	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  Alene Shantz Jewitt - Find A Grave

  
  

• Notes

  ALENE JEWITT (nee Shantz) Alene passed away at Palmerston and District Hospital on Monday, August 17, 2009, at the age of 89, suddenly, quickly, and very peacefully surrounded by her immediate family. Alene was born December 17, 1919 in Waterloo, the only child of the late John and Carrie (Erb) Shantz. She had been a resident at the Royal Terrace in Palmerston since February, 2009. Predeceased by her beloved husband, Howard Jewitt in 2001. Will be lovingly remembered by her four children, Mary and Ron Weber of Palmerston, Don and Martha Jewitt of Elmira, Len and Brenda Jewitt of Waterloo, and Lynn and Dave Keller of Moorefield; grandchildren, Janelle and Tim Burnham, Tavis Weber and Heidi Brubacher, Carrie Weber, Amanda and Alan Jewitt-Dyck, Martin Jewitt, Robbie and Erin Jewitt, Leanne and David Lobe, and Fiona and Jon Jewitt Cressman; and great-grandchildren, Eden, Violet and Jonah Burnham, Evelyne and Olivia Jewitt-Dyck, Joshua Lobe, Zayden and Xavier Cressman. Alene was a special sister-in-law to Edith and Clifford Schell of Peterborough, Mildred Shaffer of Indiana, Clayton and Jean Jewitt of Waterloo, Barbara Raddatz of Kitchener, Mary and Bernie Shantz of New Hamburg. Predeceased by sister-in-law, Florence Snider; brother-in-law, Ervin Jewitt and sister-in-law, Shirley Jewitt. Alene was given a very special gift of writing, whether it was letters, or puppet scripts, or writing and directing a play for the Pennsylvania German Historical Society. She was a member of the Rummelhardt Women's Institute and an active member of the Erb Street Mennonite Church Ladies group before moving north to the Moorefield area in 1986. Alene was a very gifted leader, an avid reader, and had a keen interest in current events and the political arena of the world. She enjoyed keeping up with the lives of her children as well as her grandchildren and was very blessed with her great-grandchildren. Relatives and friends are invited to share memories of Alene during visitation at Erb Street Mennonite Church, 131 Erb St. W., Waterloo on Sunday, August 23 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. where the funeral service will be held on Monday, August 24, 2009 at 11 a.m. Interment to follow at Erb Street Cemetery. As expressions of sympathy, memorial donations to the Mennonite Central Committee or to a charity of your choice and may be arranged by contacting the Erb and Good Family Funeral Home , 171 King St. S., Waterloo at 519-745-8445 or www.erbgood.com. In living memory of Alene, a donation will be made by the funeral home to the Trees for Learning Program. WATERLOO REGION RECORD, Kitchener, Ontario - Aug. 19, 2009 ____________________ Pioneering spirit Alene Jewitt Born: Dec. 17, 1919 in Waterloo Died: Aug.17, 2009 of stroke October 09, 2009 By Valerie Hill Record Staff Alene Jewitt was born of a pioneering Mennonite spirit so when she packed up the last suitcase at her family homestead in 1986, the sturdy little grey haired woman was saying goodbye to 180 years of Erb family history. "The farm was owned by her great grandfather since 1832," said son, Don Jewitt. "Her grandfather built the house." The Waterloo farm was one of the last of the original working farms in the German Company Tract, an area now filled with subdivisions though the original farmhouse received a last minute reprieve from the wrecking ball. Alene must have been delighted the old place would not be lost, a place that had been home to generations of Erbs. An only child, Alene's father died when she was only four years old forcing her mother to take charge of the prosperous 167 acre farm and as she matured, Alene would assist. Don explained "they were really unique, they weren't typical Mennonite women. They were very strong willed." The women contracted local hired men to do the heavy work and it wasn't until the war years that a more permanent solution arrived on the scene. Don said his mother often reminisced about the day she peaked out the window and spotted Howard Jewitt strolling toward the barn. There was something about the young man that caught her eye and her heart and she knew immediately, he would never leave the farm. Howard had been assigned to the farm as a conscientious objector, one of many young men who refused war duty because of their faith and were instead put to work often on farms. The couple married Aug. 30, 1947, raising four kids on the farm even as urbanization crept closer every year. Howard ran the farm while Alene engaged in countless volunteer activities, including historical research and membership in the Waterloo Historical Society. Armed with little more than a Grade 8 education - her grandmother's decision based on Mennonite tradition - Alene was always an avid learner and exhibited a real gift for writing. Over the years she crafted stories, created puppet shows, penned long letters and even wrote a play for the Pennsylvania German Historical Society. "She read a tremendous amount, she loved to read," said Don. As a child, Alene would squirrel away in her closet with a good book, hiding her light long after bedtime. "Her education became what she'd read," Don explained. Don and his sister Mary Weber, describe their mother as immensely talented, a woman who could do anything, from making puppets to sewing her own clothes and she taught home economics courses at the Women's Institute. "She did everything well," said Mary. Though she was not above criticizing a minister's sermon, Alene's church was important to her. "She had a very prominent voice in the church," said Don, noting his mother was the person everyone turned to for leadership. If she saw a problem, Alene would roll up her sleeves and fix it, even if it meant yet one more volunteer job. As a mother she was practical, always busy, kept a clean house and food on the table and according to Don "she was not your typical homemaker." Mary said "She didn't show her feelings, there was not a lot of hugging." Don added "she cared about what we did and was always involved." Alene also had an open door policy for neighourhood kids and was a patient, albeit critical listener. "If you had an opinion opposite of Mom's you had to have it well researched," said Don. If she couldn't support her side of the argument, Alene would ponder it a few days then offer a rebuttal. In 1967, during Canada's centennial year Alene put all her well honed debating skills to good use. In that year heritage farms across the country were being honoured with a centennial plaque but only if the farm was in the same family name. Alene was furious, challenging what she saw was a sexist attitude. She fought back and won, celebrating by hosting a farm fair at the old homestead. Less than 20 years later, life changed again. New subdivisions were gobbling up neighouring lands and it was finally time to sell, leaving behind a lifetime of memories. In a 1985 Record article, Alene explained how her sense of family and history sprang from the hours spent curled beside her bedridden grandmother listening to stories of the early days, when Aboriginal families lived in the nearby bush and the Grand Truck Railway first steamed through the county. If she was sad to leave this homestead, Alene kept those emotions to herself. She told the reporter she was "a country woman at heart" not comfortable with the city life springing up around her. "I'm ready to go," she said. Alene and Howard purchased a country property near Arthur. Howard died in 2001 and Alene lived on her own until February, when failing health forced her to move into a nursing home where she died, ending a unique era in Waterloo history. vhill@therecord.com

  
  

• Sources

  [S2088] Census - ON, Waterloo, Waterloo North - 1921, Erbsville Sub Dist 4 1921 Page 13. [S3231] Find A Grave, Cemetery, Erb, North America, Waterloo Municipality, and Erb Cemetery. 1919. " Alene Shantz Jewitt (1919-2009) - Find A Grave...". Findagrave.Com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40845162/alene-jewitt.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 17 Dec 1919 - Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - Mennonite - 1921 - Erbsville, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 17 Aug 2009 - Palmerston, Peel Township, Wellington Co., Ontario Buried - - Erb Street Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth