GFRERER, Sophie

Sophie Gfrerer (n̩e Radic) January 27, 1939 РApril 24, 2025 With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, Sophie Gfrerer, who left us peacefully, surrounded by love. She was 86 years old.
Sophie was born on January 27, 1939, in Maglajani, in the former Yugoslavia, to Branko and Maria Radic. The youngest of six children, she was predeceased by her siblings Lazo, Stoja, George, Nada, and Stevo. She grew up during the Second World War, a time of fear, violence, and great uncertainty. Despite the hardships and being near death more than once, Sophie carried within her a deep resilience, quiet strength, and an enduring hope that shaped the rest of her life.
At just 14, she left home to work as a nanny in Bačka, Serbia. It was there she met the love of her life, Peter Gfrerer. He was 17, and from the moment he saw her, he knew he had met someone extraordinary. Their love blossomed during a night of traditional Hungarian dancing called a Czárdás, where Sophie twirled into Peter’s heart forever. She tried her first beer that night and didn’t like it, so Peter bought her a pop instead. They danced the night away, beginning a lifelong love story.
In 1955, Peter’s family moved first to Germany and then to Canada. Sophie and Peter were separated, but they stayed deeply connected through nine years of handwritten letters and small care packages. Sophie worked tirelessly during those years as a nanny, in a plum factory, and wherever she was needed, all while never giving up on their shared dream of building a life together. Finally, on February 22, 1962, Sophie made the brave journey to Canada. Peter’s family met her in Calgary, and just weeks later, on March 17, she and Peter were married in Coaldale.
Together they created a home grounded in love, commitment, and hard work. They farmed sugar beets, moved through small towns in southern Alberta while Peter worked for CP Rail, and raised four children: Victoria (predeceased), Maria (Mike), Charlotte (Brian, predeceased), and Mark (predeceased). Sophie was a loving and tireless mother who poured her heart into every meal she cooked, every dress she sewed, and every jar she canned. She was a proud and devoted grandmother to Alicia and Nicole.
Sophie worked in nursing homes, factories, and again as a nanny. In every role, she offered quiet compassion, strength, and an incredible work ethic. She also played a significant role in helping others immigrate to Canada, generously offering guidance and support to those beginning new lives, just as she once had.
She and Peter loved to dance, host gatherings, and create a warm home filled with laughter, music, and delicious food. They found joy in vacationing in British Columbia and returning to visit family in the former Yugoslavia. After Peter’s passing, Sophie remained a source of strength and care for her family, facing each day with the same determination and love that defined her life.
Though she experienced profound loss, including the deaths of her husband, siblings, two of her children, and her son-in-law, Sophie never lost her grace. She showed her family how to endure heartbreak with dignity and how to keep moving forward with love.
Sophie was a gifted cook, gardener, seamstress, and homemaker, but more than anything, she will be remembered for the depth of her love and the unwavering support she gave to everyone around her.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to honour Sophie’s memory by sharing a home-cooked meal with those you love or offering a helping hand to someone in need, just as she did so often.
Funeral services will be held at our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church at 10 AM May 24, 2025. Following the service, interment will take place came at Mountain View Cemetery. Family and friends are warmly invited to visit afterward at Sophie’s house.