Memorable Manitobans: Diane Dowling Kroeker (1944-2004)

Community activist.

Born in New York in 1944, she studied at D’Youville College in Buffalo then met Irvin J. Kroeker of Winkler while both were travelling in Spain. After they married in 1966, they lived in Winnipeg, where they went on to have three children. She was a founding member of Trinity Television Inc., which offered Christian-oriented religious programming, and hosted the children’s program “Follow Me” in the late 1970s. She also volunteered with Anglican Marriage Encounter along with her husband. At the time of her death, she assisted with the administration of Canadian Mennonite University’s Outtatown Discipleship School. During her lifetime, she took part in various fundraising efforts and travelled to more than 40 countries. She was known for her larger-than-life personality, her passion for connecting with people, her celebratory and enthusiastic nature, and her propensity for distinctive, colourful clothing and unique jewellery. She was a member of St. Aidan’s Anglican Church and was appreciated by all who knew her for her ability to listen and her willingness to support anyone in need, tackling large problems with confidence. On 29 February 2004, while participating in a tour of Guatemala, which she had helped to organize through the Outtatown program, she and another tour participant drowned while swimming in the Pacific Ocean near Contepeque. She is commemorated by a memorial scholarship in her name.

Sources:

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 6 March 2004.

Obituary, Mennonite Weekly Review, 8 March 2004.

Canadian Mennonite University Calendar, 2018-2019.

This page was prepared by Lois Braun.

Page revised: 3 November 2020

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.

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