Obituaries

URSULA JOCHUM (NEE KINTSCHER) DECEMBER 16, 1939 – JULY 13, 2025

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Ursula Jochum.

Ursula was born in Glatz, Germany to Fridolin & Luzia Kintscher. Their eldest child, followed by 4 sons.

Memories of Ursula will be held close in the hearts of her husband, Karl Jochum; her children, Monika (Tim Winter), Günter (Crystal), KarlHeinz (Judith); grandchildren, Michael (Rianna), Joshua (Roxanne), Michaela (Curtis), Fiona, Abbey (William), Kristen (Cole), Renate, Kalin, Shavaughn; great grandchildren, Isabel, Eliza, Alexander, Felix, Ada, Eloise, Sophie; brothers, Reinhart (Elfriede), Manfred (Frieda), Norbert (Irma); and numerous nieces and nephews. Pre-deceased by her parents and brother, Konrad (in infancy).
Ursula lived the first few years of her life on a farm that had been in her family for over 500 years. In 1945 her family was forced from their farm & home by the Russian army and fled to Oestrich, Germany. Life was very difficult in those years, but her parents worked hard to provide for their family and in 1957 had the opportunity to purchase a farm and establish their family home in Rechberg, Bavaria, Germany.

Ursula completed her public-school education and continued her education at the Landwirtschaftsschule—in a program which taught women farm & household management skills that would be assets as a farm employee or farm partner. At the same college, a program teaching new farming practices was offered to young men and this is where she met her future husband, Karl. Ursula and Karl married on July 10, 1962, and she moved to his family farm in Prünthal, where they lived with his parents—a very common arrangement at the time. She gradually took over the management of the farm home and was active in all aspects of farm work from the house to chores in the barns and soon was raising 3 children as well.

With three children interested in the agriculture industry, and limited opportunities to expand their farm, Karl & Ursula made the monumental decision to sell their small farm in Bavaria and buy a farm on the Canadian prairies. In 1980 they moved to Highway 26 in the Municipality of St. Francois Xavier, Manitoba and again Ursula established a new home, new friendships and community connections as well as working with her family to build a successful farming operation—Blue Diamond Farms—named in reference to the blue & white diamonds on the Bavarian Flag. Although the vastness of the prairie landscape was at first overwhelming, and so different from the life they had left in their tiny farming village of 11 families, Ursula grew to love the peace and privacy of her Canadian farm home. In the last 45 years Ursula and Karl returned to Germany numerous times to visit family and friends, travelled to Australia several times to visit her youngest son and family, Asia, South America, and all-over North America, but Highway 26 was where she put down the deepest roots and lived the longest, the home she always looked forward to returning to.

A life lived in faith that all would be well.

A celebration of life will be held Thursday, July 24, 2025, 2pm at the Meadows Community Club, Meadows, Manitoba. Rev. Scott MacAuley presiding. All are welcome.

The family is grateful for the compassionate care of the healthcare teams at Grace Hospital, Misericordia Hospital, Home Care, and the Shaftesbury Retirement Residence.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Cancer Care Manitoba or The Grace Hospital.