Elmer Alfred Breitkreuz

It is with great sadness that the family of Elmer Breitkreuz announces his passing. During the early evening hours of February 27th, 2025 Elmer peacefully went to be with his Heavenly Father and Saviour Jesus Christ, at the age of 92.

Elmer was born in Bruce, AB, on September 16th, 1932, to Ewald and Adeline, the oldest of nine children. In 1935 the family moved to Onoway where Elmer graduated from high school in 1950. From 1953-56 he attended the Christian Training Institute in Edmonton, where he met Ellen Froehlich whom he later married in August 1956.

Elmer chose teaching as a career and earned a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Alberta in 1966, followed by a Masters in Education Administration in 1967. He taught at Sunset House, Devon, and three junior high schools in Edmonton. From 1968-1972 he was the principal of Joseph Merrick Baptist College, a boy’s boarding school located at Ndu, Cameroon, West Africa. He was also always active in Christian leadership, whether that was in his local church, or the summer camps at Sylvan Lake and later Camp Caroline. In his retirement he returned to Cameroon for one year periods three different times to serve as the Field Director for the Cameroon Baptist Convention.

Elmer’s hobbies were many. He enjoyed camping, kayaking and hiking in the mountains. He also enjoyed photography, biking and cross-country skiing. Over the years he sang in many choirs and quartets, and after retirement sang in the Spruce Grove Barbershop group for seven years.

Elmer is survived by his loving spouse Ellen, sons Aaron (Indira); Bevin (Grace); and Timothy and by his grandchildren Jonathan (Charlotte); Jeremy (Sheridan); Rachel and Janelle. He is survived by siblings Walter (Sharon), Clifford (Shirley), Milton (Wendy), Evelyn Schneider, Gladys (Laurie) Bubenko and Beatrice (Ernie) Stinner. He was predeceased by his sister Ruth Kruschke and brother Benjamin.

A memorial service will take place at West Meadows Baptist Church, Saturday March 8th, at 1:00 p.m.
The service will be live streamed; a link will be posted at https://www.westmeadows.org/

Memorial gifts may be made to:

North American Baptist Conference Missions
(please designate for the support of national and expatriate missionaries to Cameroon)
Camp Caroline, Caroline, AB
The Mustard Seed, Edmonton