Memorable Manitobans: Esther Anna Hiebert Wiebe (1932-2023)

Click to enlarge

Esther Anna Hiebert Wiebe
Click to enlarge

Music educator, choir leader.

Born at Plum Coulee on 18 March 1932, daughter of Anna Giesbrecht and Peter Hiebert, she showed exceptional musical ability at an early age. She pursued musical studies at the Canadian Mennonite Bible College in Winnipeg (today's Canadian Mennonite University) where she met fellow student George Wiebe. They married in 1953 and were hired by the College in 1954 to develop its music program.

Over many years, she taught music theory and piano, and accompanied choral groups, often conducted by her husband. They assisted in establishing the Mennonite Oratorio Choir. They had a daughter and three sons, three of whom lived to adulthood, and who performed in a family string quartet.

She died at the St. Boniface Hospital on 26 January 2023. A collection of correspondence, concert pamphlets, newspaper and magazine articles and reviews from her music career, seven audio and visual recordings, music books, and other materials is held at the Mennonite Heritage Archives.

Sources:

Obituary, Birchwood Funeral Chapel Co-op.

George and Esther Wiebe fonds, Mennonite Archival Information Database.

We thank Conrad Stoesz for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 3 February 2023

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:

Custom Search

Browse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

Browse deaths occurring in:
1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca

Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements

Help us keep
history alive!