Obituary of Elfriede Vahtra Onno

Elfriede Vahtra Onno, born September 22, 1910, in Hiiumaa, Estonia, died peacefully Tuesday morning, July 24, 2007, surrounded by those she loved. Elfriede, known to her friends as Frieda, came to Canada with her two small sons and her mother just before Christmas, 1945, to join her husband Robert in the Village of Gagetown, New Brunswick, after a separation of over six years due to the Second World War. Robert died in 1957 and Frieda moved to Saint John. She first worked at the Saint John Protestant Orphanage where she provided great support to the children living there and then at the Admiral Beatty Hotel. She was a long-time member of First Wesleyan Church, Boars Head Road. Frieda is survived by Peter and Mary Ellen Onno and Thomas and Sharon Onno. Her grandchildren include Kristen Alexandra Onno McCaffree and David McCaffree, Kathryn Onno Baer and Larry Baer, Robert and Jill Onno, Maia Onno and John Ross. Frieda had five great-grandchildren: Erik, Timothy, John and Stephen Onno and Anna Baer. She will be greatly missed by her nephew Jaan Vahtra and niece Linda Vahtra. Frieda is also survived by Cristi Lena Wheaton and her family, Mark, Christopher, Tim and Destiny who were her New Brunswick family. They shared their home and their love, and became her main support while her own family was far away. The family wishes to thank Jan Kennedy and her staff at the Whitehall Estates Special Care Home for their wonderful loving care. She was so happy living with them. Dr. David Salgado and the Extra-Mural Nurses contributed to her comfort in her final days. Resting at Brenan's Select Community Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John, NB, (634-7424) with visiting on Friday, July 27th 7:00-9:00 P.M. and Saturday, July 28th 1:00-2:00 P.M. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 28th from Brenan’s Funeral Home Chapel at 2:00 P.M. Interment will follow in the Village of Gagetown at the Grace United Cemetery. Donations in her memory may be made to a charity of your choice, if desired.