Agnes Guenther Ames

In my earlier blog, I mentioned that Fred Radford celebrated his 100 birthday on March 23, 2017. However, in error I also mentioned that to my knowledge he was the only former Amesdale resident to have achievied that milestone.   I am very grateful to have been kindly reminded that Fred is not the only Amesdale centenarian.   I somehow overlooked that my Aunt Agnes Guenther Ames had indeed exceeded the 100 year longevity milestone by almost two years.

In recognition of that special lady, I want to add a beautiful tribute to her recorded about the time of her passing on by fellow parishioners, Joe Kasarda and Barry Smith Jr., members of the Thunder Bay, ON congregation.

                    In memory of Agnes Ames                   

Mrs. Ames was born Aganetha Guenther on October 17, 1896, in Schoenwiese, Manitoba, a small Mennonite village close to the U.S. border. She went to the nearest school in North Dakota during the summer months because it was too cold in the winter.

As a young woman, Agnes worked as a domestic in Manitoba, North Dakota, and Saskatchewan. In the summer of 1930. she met her future husband while responding to a newspaper ad for a camp cook. Bert Ames was a bush worker and timber contractor in a small farming and lumbering community located 16 miles north of Dryden, called Amesdale after the family name.

She cooked for Mr. Ames and his hired men, and on August 17, 1932, Bert and Agnes married. During the Depression, they continued to live on their farm in Amesdale clearing additional land. During those years, two daughters were born: Gloria and Amie. Because the community was small and had no school, Mrs. Ames tutored her girls at her kitchen table with materials supplied by the provincial government. The girls completed many of their early grades in a school train that came once a month to assign and correct lessons.

In 1945, the Ames moved to Dryden so their daughters could go to high school. There Mr. Ames built houses while Mrs. Ames worked as a cook in a hotel and in nearby tourist lodges. Following her husband's death in 1958, Mrs. Ames moved to Port Arthur (Thunder Bay) where she continued to live in her own home until 1995.

To all of us she was always "Mrs. Ames," a pioneer member of the Thunder Bay congregation. After having heard Mr. Herbert Armstrong's broadcast on the radio during the 1950s, she traveled to Pasadena to check out the information for herself and was baptized in 1961.

Throughout her years in the local church she showed a steadfast determination to serve God that was an example to everyone. Brethren were always welcome in her home. She loved the simple pleasures of God's creation, especially working in her garden and growing flowers.

Mrs. Ames had an adventurous streak. At our annual snow parties, she insisted on sliding down the hill on an inner tube. Several years ago she had her first ride on a dogsled and then on a snowmobile. Her only complaint: The driver wasn't going fast enough!

Her fiercely independent spirit combined with an infectious laugh won the affection and respect of everyone. During her latter years, Mrs. Ames remained absolutely determined to be present at church services each week even when she sometimes blacked out. This caused church members and various visiting ministers some tense moments. But she always recovered and afterward wondered what all the fuss was about. (A pacemaker eventually solved that problem!)

Mrs. Ames loved to travel. In addition to travelling to festival locations around the world, at the age of 93, she went on the Mediterranean Festival Cruise. Visitors to her home were often treated to her collection of home movies and photographs from her many trips.

Agnes had a long and full life and saw many changes in her lifetime. She will always have a special place in our memories. Many brethren attended her funeral held on December 30. She is survived by her two daughters, Gloria and Amie, and many other family members.

Source: http://www.wcg.ca/news/nl/1998/march98/member_profile.htm July 12, 2002