Samuel L. Erb

Other Events:

• Church Membership: Maple View Amish Mennonite Church, Wellesley Township, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27239394
• Occupation: Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; farmer
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-163662
• Residence: 1911, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite
• Occupation: 1921, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Farmer, Father's Farm
• Residence: 1921, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Mennonite

Notes:

Erb, Samuel L., son of Jacob and Barbara (Lichti) Erb, was born in Wellesley Twp., Ont., Nov. 11, 1905; died after a long illness at the K-W Hospital, Kitchener, Ont., April 18, 1963; aged 57 y. 5 m. 7 d. On June 20, 1929, he was married to Lydia Wagler, who survives. Also surviving are 2 sons (Vernon and Edmund), 2 daughters (Vera and Erma), 2 grandchildren, 2 brothers (David and John), and 2 sisters (Nancy-Mrs. Clayton Steinman and Mary). Two sisters preceded him in death. He was a member of the Maple View A.M. Church, where funeral services were held April 21, in charge of Christian Streicher and Alvin Leis.

Gospel Herald - Volume LVI, Number 24 - June 18, 1963 - pages 534, 535, 536.

____________________

SAMUEL L. ERB Samuel L. Erb, 57, R.R. 2, Wellesley, died Thursday, April 18^th, at the K-W Hospital, Kitchener, after a lengthy illness. He was born November 11, 1905, in Wellesley Township and farmed on the Third Line of Wellesley all his life. He was a member of the Maple View Amish Mennonite Church. He was predeceased by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Erb, the former Barbara Lichty, and two sisters. In June, 1929, he married Lydia Wagler who survives him. Other survivors are two sons, Vernon, Wellesley; Edward, R.R. Wellesley; two daughters, Vera, Kitchener; Erma, R.R. 2, Wellesley; two brothers, David, Wellesley; John, R.R. 2, Wellesley; two sisters, Mrs. Clayton (Nancy) Steinman, Wellesley; Mary, R.R. 2, Wellesley; and two grandchildren. The body rested at the Futher funeral home, Wellesley, until Sunday when a short service was held there at 2: 00 p.m. A memorial service was held at Maple View Amish Mennonite Church at 2: 30 p.m. with Bishop Christian Streicher officiating Burial was made in the church cemetery.

The Kitchener-Waterloo Record 19 Apr 1963

Samuel married Lydia Wagler 29 Jun 1929. Lydia (daughter of David L. Wagler and Catharine G. Erb) was born 22 Mar 1904, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; died 10 Mar 1982, Tavistock, East Zorra Twp., Oxford County, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Mapleview Mennonite Cemetery, Wellesley Twp., Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/163842839
• Name: Vera Catherine Koehler
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-160534
• Residence: 1963, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

KOEHLER, Vera Catherine (nee Erb)

Passed away, peacefully, with family at her side, at Freeport Health Centre of Grand River Hospital, on Monday, May 30, 2016, at the age of 83. Vera was born in Wellesley Township on June 25, 1932, a daughter of the late Samuel and Lydia (Wagler) Erb. She was a member of Kitchener Baptist Church. Loving mother of Fred Koehler and his wife Brenda of Shakespeare, Annette Riopelle and her husband Cliff of Ottawa, and grandmother of Katherine, Nick, Jack, and Will. Dear sister of Vernon Erb and his wife Viola and Erma Bisset. Sister-in-law of Marjorie Erb and her husband Stan and Shirley Westwood and her husband Mark. Vera will be fondly remembered by her many nieces and nephews. Vera was predeceased by her beloved husband, Fred Koehler, on October 7, 2002, brother Edmund Erb and brother-in-law Craig Bisset. Vera's family will receive relatives and friends at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home , 171 King Street South, Waterloo on Saturday, June 4 from 7-9 p.m. and on Sunday, June 5 from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Visitation will continue at Kitchener Baptist Church, 1720 Glasgow St., Kitchener on Monday, June 6 from 10: 00 -10: 45 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11 a.m. with Pastor Jerry A. Burns officiating. Interment at Riverside Cemetery, New Hamburg. A reception will follow at the church. Condolences for the family and memorial donations to the Canadian Cancer Society or Kitchener Baptist Church may be arranged through the funeral home at www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.

Waterloo Region Record 4 Jun 2016

Vera — Frederick M. Koehler. Frederick was born 20 Mar 1931; died 7 Oct 2002; was buried , Riverside Cemetery, New Hamburg, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Business: Baden, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; Erb Transport
• FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/210289541
• Interesting: business
• Residence: 2781 Sandhills Rd., Wilmot Township, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-160530
• Residence: 1963, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada

Notes:

Vernon Erb hands over the president's mantle to son Wendell


NEW HAMBURG - When he started out with one truck, 52 years ago, Vernon Erb dreamed that one day he might have a small, modest fleet. Maybe five or six trucks.

Today, the Erb name crosses an entire continent. It is on hundreds of trucks and refrigerated trailers hauling food and goods to grocery stories and retailers throughout North America.

Honest, hard work and concern for customers and employees built the business, says Vernon's eldest son Wendell, who was recently named president of the Erb Group of Companies after Vernon relinquished the title.

Vernon, now 75, has been winding down his involvement in the day-to-day operations of the Erb Group since 1999, when Wendell became general manager. Handing over the presidential title now marks a more "official" retirement, although Vernon is still chair of the board for Erb Enterprises.

But retirement doesn't really mean retirement for Vernon. "He bought a farm and he is actually farming 220 acres now," Wendell says. "He still comes into the garage, but mostly to borrow tools or a mechanic."

Decency, honest hard work and caring were Vernon's trademarks. "My father knew probably everything about every customer, every employee," Wendell says. "He returned every phone call and lived and breathed the company."

The company now employs about 1,300 people, has 850 delivery trucks and power units that pull trailers, as well as 1,100 trailers and 10 refrigeration facilities between Winnipeg and Montreal.

Vernon took a huge risk but made the right move when he competed against bigger players to get the unrestricted licence he needed in 1970 to be able to carry frozen foods up and down the highways.

The deregulation of the trucking industry, starting in 1980 in the United States, further fuelled the growth of the business, Wendell says. "That allowed us to get the operating authority to truck anywhere in the United States."

Trucking is now a high-tech business, he says. "It is amazing, the information that goes back and forth via satellite."

There are many challenges ahead in the transportation industry, including trying to get reliable equipment that meets the emission standards of today, as well as trying to find enough drivers to replace the ones that are retiring.

"Our driving workforce in general is aging and we are not seeing the people come into the industry as fast as they are retiring," he adds.

But Wendell says the Erb Group has been lucky to have great employees who stayed with the company over the years.

"The loyalty of our drivers and all of our employees is something that we have been blessed with." But he says the business' success is ultimately driven by taking care of customers. That was the main lesson his father passed down.

"What he did was good old fashioned hard work and he took care of the customers. He never failed to remind us that we have to take care of them, and that was our recipe for success."

rsimone@therecord.com

Vernon — Viola Florence Lauver. Viola was born 2 Jul 1934, Duchess, , Alberta, Canada; died 24 Sep 2022, Baden, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada; was buried , Steinmann Mennonite Cemetery, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. [Group Sheet]