"Once a Hutterite, Always a Hutterite" by Lisa Kleinsasser (Owens)

October 18, 2007 · Filed Under Hutterites 

Hello Friends . . .

I have been asked to share “my story” with all of you regarding Hutterites!!

My Dad was born & raised a Hutterite, a Heritage I am extremely proud of!! Most kids want to go to Disneyland or something like that, but all I ever wanted more than anything in the world was to meet my father’s family. At the age of 15, my father left the Colony. He met my mother in 1967, married in 1968 and I was born in 1969.

At the age of 3, my dad was no longer a prominent person in my life. My mother went on to raise me with my 1/2 siblings and re-married raising her 3rd husband’s children. I lost my dad to suicide on my 9th birthday in 1978!! To make a long story short, I kept in touch with Dad’s family my entire life and finally after 35 years or so, I took my 4 sons to visit in 2005. It was an experience of a Lifetime – a dream come true.

I first visited and met family on a Colony near Vulcan AB . . . my grandmother’s sister and brother & their children & grandchildren & great-grandchildren. I then continued on to meet my Dad’s cousin Ben (who lived with us when I was apparently only knee-high) from Greenwood Colony near Ft. McLeod. Finally – I arrived at Huron Colony in Saskatchewan near Moose Jaw (closer to Eyebrow). I hadn’t been to the Colony since I was about 2 yrs old . . .however, my children & I were greeted with open arms . . . it was an incredible feeling, as though I been visiting every year for the past 35 1/2 yrs.

We were all in the “gathering room” (living room), my aunts, cousins & their children when in walked a tall grey-haired man . . . there I was, feeling like I was 2 yrs old looking up into my grandfather’s eyes . . . I said “Martin” and held out my hand to shake his – he pulled me into his arms, hugging me like crazy . . . we both cried for 10 minutes or more!! This was my father’s youngest & only surviving brother. Uncle Mart lived with us when I was just a baby . . . and he later returned to the Colony – married & had a family of his own!!

Upon arriving home, I announced to my mother that even though she raised me all of my life, I had finally found out who I really was, I truly found out that genetically I am more a Hutterite than anything else . . . it explains a great deal of “stuff” that has happened in my life . . . it answered a lot of how & why’s . . . my greatest happiness in life was being with my Hutterite Family and bless my cousin’s wife for telling me that – a name is a name (I was legally adopted at a young age by my mother’s 3rd husband) . . . no matter what, I will always be family. During our visit, my 3 oldest sons proudly wore the same clothing as their cousins – I’ve never be more proud nor will I ever be!! My greatest disappointment is that I haven’t returned . . . but it will happen sooner than later!!

I met Jerry through Facebook – and I am thrilled to have made a connection with him! One of my next missions is to meet him in person . . . and a goal is to write a book with him!! He is truly “my Hutterite Angel” – and I love him dearly.

Here’s to Hutterites . . . “Once a Hutterite, Always a Hutterite” – those is nothing that could make me more proud … than having the genetics of a Hutterite!!

God Bless!
Lisa Kleinsasser (Owens)

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Comments

10 Responses to “"Once a Hutterite, Always a Hutterite" by Lisa Kleinsasser (Owens)”

  1. Anonymous on October 19th, 2007 8:45 pm

    Great story. The title of your story rings so true. My family left the colony in Manitoba when I was eight. I will always be proud of everything that it is to be a Hutt. It sounds like you went on a really neat journey of discovery.

    Cheers
    Matthew Hofer

  2. Anonymous on October 26th, 2007 7:31 pm

    Hi Lisa,
    I left the colony almost 35 years ago. I am humbled and proud to have been born and raised a Hutterite. I met and married a very prominent man and have been married to him for 28 years. we have two beautiful, wonderful and well educated children. I made it a priority for them to KNOW their grandparents and they know them well. They spend a whole month with them and their cousins every summer. So do I . We stay with my mom and dad. I have the best relationship with my parents, brothers and sisters. I’ve been extremely blessed to have come from a very liberal colony in Montana. I pray you have continued success with your relatives..They are wonderful, kind and generous people,(the hutterites)…I will forever be grateful to have been born and raised eith the integrity and morality that most of them have..May the Lord Jesus Bless You..

  3. Lisa on January 1st, 2008 2:27 pm

    Happy 2008 to All of You . . .

    My relationship with my Hutterite Family continues to grow stronger each day – I talked to many of my Family on Christmas Day!!
    I continue to keep in touch with Jerry (site creator) – not as much as I’d like!! It’s a possibility that Jerry’s Grandfather and my Grandfather are cousins – still need to verify!!

    Looks like another trip out this summer with my kids – can’t wait!!

    Seems Huron and Greenwood have both heard about & seen my story on “Once a Hutterite, Always a Hutterite!” – and my Aunty told me this morning that she thought it was wonderful!!

    Thank you to those who have shared my story with my Hutterite Family!!

    God Bless You All
    Lisa Kleinsasser

    PS Love ya Jerry!! And thanks to Matthew Hofer and ‘anonymous’ for sharing!

  4. s-wurtz on January 15th, 2008 9:16 pm

    What a small world… My Mother was born in Huron Colony Saskatchuwan…Married my Father and moved to BonHomme Coloy in S,Dak…We left in 88 When I was 13 We were’nt as fortunate as the Colony as you visit… My was very strict…We were even expelled for praying at home!!!

  5. Tschetter on July 28th, 2008 7:21 pm

    Funny story. I’ve been out of the colony for over 10 years now (never to join again) and I remember my uncles coming to visit when I was just a toddler and\or small boy. They left when they were quite young due to abuse from various “elders” or “bosses” and the funny thing is they were never ashamed like so many “ex’s” are of having been born there. Now when I go visit it’s first and foremost to see my folks and family but I have to admit that it’s also amusing to me because there’s so much that I forget from visit to visit that it SHOCKS me to see them live like they do!! It really does and there is NO NO NO way that I would EVER conform and subscribe to their incredibly abstract socialistic ideals and views again. To me it’s just wrong and please don’t get me started on that because thats a whole new ball of wax. It’s cool in its own way to have been born and raised there; chicks adore my accent :) , people love my “escape” and “other life” stories and when all else fails, it’ll get you another beer at the local tavern with the boys. Beyond that, its not the only crazy religion that this old world has to offer; and certainly not the worst.

    Peace

  6. butch helde on May 5th, 2009 11:21 am

    I WORKED WITH A YOUNG MAN A FEW YEARS AGO IN THE OIL FIELDS IN EASTERN MT HIS NAME WAS TOBY KLIENSASSER ARE YOU RELEATED TO HIM?

  7. Jerry Wipf on May 18th, 2009 9:42 am

    @butch helde: I am not related to him but he is a friend of mine, Butch. He currently lives in Billings, Montana

    Cheers

  8. shyla maley on June 12th, 2009 10:00 am

    my neighhhor joe wipf lives here in enid, oklahoma with me. we always talk about the hoots. do you know him?

  9. Jerry Wipf on June 13th, 2009 1:36 pm

    @shyla maley: What colony is Joe from? Do you know?

    I think I may know who he is..

    Have a great one
    Jerry

  10. Patrick on July 22nd, 2009 10:51 pm

    at long last a way to communicate about the hutterites.. i came to see the hutterite way of life as the very best for real happiness and health…. I have studied natural laws and saw the latest studies on natural laws and do understand that the most correct religion is the one MOST with natural laws.. so after checking these laws i searched for the religion and groups that are MOST with natural law… and my find was the hutterites….I will be wirting a book about how to be happy based on applying the correct natural laws…. BUT this so happens is what the hutterites has already attained… i’m from the southeast usa i sure wish a group would form around here that follows natural laws as good as the hutterites… my soul is definately a hutterite soul..joseph hutter was one very wise man..and All people should keep their eyes on the hutterites and where they go they need to follow and do life very similar

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