Linda Leber

Linda Leber (Keller): January 14, 1932 – May 6, 2020.

Linda’s life began in Pokosse, Volhynia in the Ukraine. She was the second eldest of six children born to Amalie Keller (Hartenberger) and Heinrich Keller. Her father operated a windmill until they moved to the city of Kostopol in 1938. Up to and during the mid-1940’s the family survived war, dispossession, near-starvation, labour- and refugee camps, illness and the death of their grandmother as well as Linda’s eldest brother, Albert, from appendicitis.

After the war, the family relocated to West Germany by freight train, where they were welcomed with special treats – milk-soup and white bread. Linda now had the opportunity to study at a business school in Bergedorf. In 1946, the children and their mother were reunited with Linda’s father who had been held in a prisoner-of-war camp. Later, Linda worked in Hamburg as a stenographer until the family immigrated to Toronto, Canada in May 1953 on the ocean liner MS ITALIA.

In Canada, Linda found work at CCM and the Keller family soon built a home and re-connected with members of the Church of God (GemeindeGottes) they had known in Germany. The day before they were to move into their new home, Hurricane Hazel swept the house away. Soon thereafter, the family built another house and at the same time contributed to the construction of the Church of God building in Toronto, Canada. In 1956, Linda and Franz Leber were the first couple to be married in the newly constructed church building.

The couple was blessed with 3 children: Cornelia, Agnes and Martin. Linda cherished gardening, summer vacations at Jack’s Lake, and taking a leadership role in many aspects of church life over the next few decades. She supported her husband Franz, actively participating in numerous church and home-construction projects including renovations of a cottage at Jack's Lake, a place very dear to their hearts.

Linda and Franz proudly raised Cornelia, Agnes and Martin to foster deep commitments to family and their spiritual community. Linda is mourned by her three children, Cornelia Mielke with her husband Gerhard, Agnes Gutzmann with her husband Douglas, Martin Leber and his wife Irene, eight grandchildren, many relatives, as well as her Church of God Family.

There will be an internet memorial service on zoom on Thursday, May 14 at 7 pm EDT (Ontario time) to which all are invited. Please click the following link approximately 15 minutes before the service begins:

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Meeting ID: 824 7114 1856
Password: 123456

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82471141856?pwd=Z0VRZ2Vrc21UVVk5L0MzL3ZBQVh4QT09

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Please be advised that there are 10 people maximum permitted in the funeral home or at the cemetery. For further information on directives from the Bereavement Authority of Ontario please click the link below: https://thebao.ca/covid-19-update-links