Margaret Grace Reist was born February 18, 1934, in the Burkholder family farmhouse, and she died at home in that same house on May 31, 2026, at the age of 92. She was the youngest child of Joe and Adeline Burkholder. She was married to Roy Reist on June 24, 1954; it was the first wedding in the new church, and to this union came 4 children. She is survived by Allen (Jo-Ann) Reist, Jocelyn (Paul) Denam, Amy (Lindsey) Lauber, and Joel Reist; Shirley Best, Ryan (Ericka) Best, and Shawn Best; Mervin (Kay) Reist, Danielle (Keith) Sayer, and Alison Reist (Micheal); Willis; Rissa Reist, Heidi Reist, Katie Reist, and Levi Reist. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren and sister-in-law Dorthy Burkholder. She was predeceased by her husband Roy and her parents Joe and Adeline Burkholder and all 8 of her siblings.
Grace accepted Christ as her savior at a young age and spent almost her entire life on the family farm and attending Salem Mennonite Church. She faithfully served for many years as the primary Sunday School Superintendent and as a Sunday School and Bible School teacher, with WMSC, as well as on the Hostess Committee and organizing the MCC Sale pie auction. She also faithfully delivered a meal, homemade buns, pie, cinnamon buns, or an encouraging note to those who were going through a hard time or who she thought needed recognition. She also tended to a huge garden, flower beds, and her family; that is, after she milked the cows twice a day and baled some hay. In her later years she passed the time by doing word and jigsaw puzzles and faithfully praying for her family and others, even still mowing the grass and those dreaded dandelions the day before she died.
A Funeral Service will be held Monday June 8, 2026, at 11:00AM at Salem Mennonite Church, Southeast of Tofield, AB.
