Elfriede E. Mrochen

Elfriede E. Mrochen of Sand Coulee, Montana passed away on January 11, 2024, after losing her husband Theodor on August 28, 2023. She was born in her grandmother's house on December 28, 1935, in the small village of Muhlau in the Saxony part of Germany. She was the daughter of Emil and Ella Langlotz.

Elfriede shared stories of her upbringing during WWII and the Soviet occupation of her village. As an only child, she shared wonderful memories of her childhood spent with grandparents, uncles, and aunts. She was often referred to as Friedl as a child and right up to the end of her death we found notations of her name written Oma Friedl. During her late teens, at the insistence of her mother, she fled East Germany and relocated to Hannover, Germany where she lived with her aunt and uncle who owned a bakery. In 1957, she met Theodor and they got engaged a few days before he immigrated to Lethbridge, Canada and she joined him nine months later.

In 1963, Elfriede and Theodor again embarked on a new adventure and settled in Great Falls, Montana. A few years later they found a hobby farm in Sand Coulee, Montana and created a wonderful place of 49 years. Elfriede dedicated her life as a mother and wife to her husband. Elfriede's life was marked by her passion for playing the piano and could still play proficiently at the age of 88. Her other interests included playing the wooden flute, rugmaking, painting, gardening, seamstress, herbalist, and most of all her love of writing poetry. During her time raising three daughters, she taught piano lessons and helped in the family watch/clock repair business, The Time Shop. She became lifelong friends with members of the Hutterite community, partly because she was able to speak German with them. She also had a commitment to Jehovah, and throughout her years she witnessed to many people predominantly through her letter writing sharing “the good news of the Kingdom".

She loved her home in Sand Coulee, but her heart longed for Germany and hoped to visit one more time. She found beauty everywhere and loved nature. Her favorite time of day is when the sun went down and when a cloudy day appeared she found contentment.  Her excursions gave her so much joy whether it was camping on Nelson reservoir, hiking in the Sleuth Boxes, cross-country skiing near Izaak Walton Inn, or walking through the Luneburger Heide near Hamburg, Germany.

To those who knew our mother, she was an artist and a true romantic. We end our thoughts with a reading of one of her cherished poems which she shared with many who walked through the doors of the homestead. Liebe dich, Oma Elfie.

The Curve

An oval curve between fields she sees from a north window,

a residence painted yellow

where little dots, black gray, white,

find their way on a narrow road

through tall lush greens,

her longing eyes are drawn upon

and ritually must follow.

Fall came and winter and spring arrived,

with all its glory,

she had planted with care

what colors of flowers suit best,

while waiting to see, about the high

arrival of Guests

taking their turn.

Days still come and days lingered with hope

her eyes still

glance towards the dots,

if only one would take the leisure time

to follow the curve,

how quickly the sun can fade into dusk.

Where is this time so long ago where friends

had gathered in

gardens under green leaves shadowy

confinements during summer days,

with jubilant high singing songs,

sweet fragrance in the air.

Elfriede is survived by her daughters, Diana (Lawrence) Price, Renee (Bugsy) Welch, and Esther Ferda; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. No services are planned.