Erica passed away at Fairview Personal Care Home on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 on her 93rd birthday. Erica was born in Winkler Manitoba on February 5, 1926, the second child of Jacob and Agathe Loewen. At the age of one, they moved to Moore Park and in the spring of 1940 her family moved to the Justice area. Erica attended the Justice school until grade eight then stayed home to help her mother care for the home and her four younger siblings. One winter she took a sewing course in Steinbach, Manitoba and from then on she sewed many beautiful clothes for herself and her sisters and later on for her children, including graduation gowns and wedding dresses for her daughters. Erica married Jake Harder on April 24, 1948. They farmed in the Moore Park area for 62 years. She enjoyed being a homemaker. She loved to bake and cook, tending to her family’s needs, her home, her garden and her flower gardens, always making a home that was filled with warmth, love and laughter. She and Jake especially loved the times when their grandchildren and later also great grandchildren came to spend time with them, always making sure she had lots of their favorite food and snacks. Erica loved her Lord and Saviour. She was baptized and became a member of the Justice Mennonite Brethren Church in 1943. She was very involved first in the youth group and singing in the choir then also in the Women’s Fellowship group and teaching Sunday school to the youngest children, ages 2–4. For many years she also worked in the MCC Thrift Store in Brandon. Erica and Jake moved to Monterey Estates in Brandon in 2010 and although her health was declining she still enjoyed having her family and friends come to visit. In July 2018, she moved to Fairview Home where she continued to make new friends. Erica is survived by her beloved husband Jake of almost 71 years; daughter Eleanor and Gerry Epp of Moore Park and their children Jonathan (Sylvia) Epp, Heather (Donny) Sparrow, Joanne (Marc Nantel) Simpson, and Sheryl (Zach) Ward and their families; daughter Audrey Harder of Winnipeg; son Phil and Connie Harder of Moore Park and their children Brent (fiancée Tara) Harder, Blaine (Amanda) Harder, Darren (Erin) Harder, Travis Falk, Ryan Falk, Morgan Falk; daughter Dorothy and Ray Wieler of Winkler and their children Kerri (Tomm) Penner and Cody (Nadine) Wieler and their families. She is also survived by two sisters Martha (Ross) McMillan and Jessie (David) Penner; three sisters-in-law Agnes Loewen, Margaret Loewen and Mary Willms and many nieces, nephews and their families. She was predeceased by her parents Jacob and Agathe Loewen, daughter Frieda in infancy, daughter-in-law Sharon, brothers Walter Loewen and Jake Loewen, sister Ruth Charbonneau, and numerous in-laws. A time of viewing and sharing was held on Saturday, February 9, 2019 at Memories Chapel. A graveside service will take place at a later date. For those who desire, donations in memory of Erica may be made to the Gideons, PO Box 3619 Stn. Main, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 7A2. The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Fairview Home for their thoughtfulness during our last days with Mom and for the excellent care she received as a resident there. We also thank Dr. Joanne Maier for being so attentive to Mom over many years.