Grebel introduces the Rudolph and Hedwig Rempel Music Award

To recognize his family’s passion for music, Rudy Rempel has established the Rudolph and Hedwig Rempel Music Award. By working with Darren Pries-Klassen at Mennonite Foundation, Rudy realized that he had enough resources to care for himself and his son and make a gift to support his love of music. This endowment will provide $2,500 over four years to support and promote musical gifts to four students per year studying at Conrad Grebel University College and pursuing Music studies at the University of Waterloo.

Born in Halbstadt, Ukraine and blind since the age of two, Rudy developed a keen ear and love for music. He played piano from a young age and learned to play a variety of other instruments as well. He attended a Music Technical School in Simferapol in the Crimea where he soon became a teacher. Rudy enjoyed the interaction with students and particularly appreciated working with gifted students. He also taught a class of blind music students. Although destined for fame in Leningrad, World War II unfortunately interrupted Rudy’s musical studies and led him on a different path.

Rudy immigrated to Waterloo, Ontario, in 1948 after spending five years during the war in Germany. Soon after arriving in Canada, he met his future wife Hedy who had immigrated earlier to Canada in 1924 from Gnadenfeld, Ukraine. The Rempels settled in Kitchener and had one son, Walter. In spite of Walter’s developmental handicaps, he is a very social person with a great memory and he enjoys interacting with family and friends.

A very busy man, Rudy worked at various tools and projects to improve the quality of life of blind persons and helped the Canadian Mint to design coins that could be easily identified by touch for the blind. He also worked in the Tuck Shop at the Kitchener-Waterloo Hospital for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and served for four years as National President of the Council of the Blind.

Hedwig, who died in 2003, was a tireless caregiver for Rudy and Walter. During driving trips she would give Rudy a narrative of the countryside he could not see. Not only did Hedy manage the household, but she managed the family’s finances. The fruits of their modest life and their love of music are manifest in the generous gift that makes this award possible.

mused Rudy.