Obituary of Sven Dietsche

Sven Lukas Dietsche was born on December 17, 1999 in Lucerne, Switzerland.  His parents are Rolf and Conny Dietsche and Sven was one of four children.  He was a brother to Niels, Lea and Sami. 

When Sven was two months old, he moved with his family to Canada where they lived at the Bachmann’s Dairy Farm, near Pouce Coupe, for five years. 

In 2004, they moved to Baytree, Alberta, where Sven lived until graduating high school.  He had recently moved to Edmonton where he experienced one week of city life.  He was so excited to go and take in all that he could.  Unfortunately, he passed away on July 6th, at the age of 18, losing his struggle with an eating disorder. 

I was in credibly fortunate to have known Sven since he was eight years old.  I was able to see him grow into an intelligent, vibrant and unique young man.  He was incredibly passionate and had amazing attention to detail.  He applied these characteristics to so many parts of his life: school, home and at work. 

He went to the Bonanza school for kindergarten and primary school.  He later attended the Mennonite school and completed high school in Savanna where he was recently named valedictorian.  He would have been thrilled.  He worked so hard to achieve his goal. 

Sven was looking forward to returning to celebrate graduation with many of his very dear friends.  He described school as a community, where he volunteered and fostered important relationships.  Sven had a unique enthusiasm for everyday life and for learning new things.  He could retain information like a volume of encyclopedias.  His smile could light up a room, melt a cold heart, and brighten a mood.  He coined it ‘Svenergy’.  We could all use a bit more Svenergy in our lives. 

Sven had many passions: 

• Baking.  He loved to bake.  Everything had to be just right.  It had to taste good, but it also had to be beautiful.  It was never just good enough.  He also loved to experiment with food, especially with a plant-based diet.  My favourite of his creations was the ‘Cricket Matcha Protein Bar’. 
• Gardening.  He would start many plants by seed or bulb.  Before he left for Edmonton, he planted all the tulips and explained to Conny how to look after them, so they would be ready for the spring.  The garden was a place he loved.  His fingerprints, his thoughtfulness, care and amazing attention to detail is a great gift he left behind. 
• The garden was also a place where he could enjoy another one of his passions: birds.  When he was younger, he needed to know absolutely everything he could about birds. 
• Family.  Sven loved his family dearly.  Every morning, he would start his day with a cup of coffee with an ice cube and a piece of dark chocolate.  Every night he would make his mom a cup of tea. 
• He loved Christmas.  He would bring everyone’s presents in to work to show us and he was so excited to see the response of his family, especially his siblings. 

He touched so many, treating each person as an individual with innate worth and respect.  At work, The Dawson Creek Health Food Centre, nothing was too good for him, nor below him.  He washed the floors as honourably as he did the ‘important’ work of administrative tasks, or helping someone with a product in the store.  So many customers talk about him fondly and how much they will miss him.  The way he interacted with people touched their heart.  He sparkled.  He was an angel for so many. 

Sven would have been incredibly humbled in how everyone is expressing how he touched their lives.  He made a bigger impact at 18 than some make in their entire lifetime.  He used his life to the fullest.  Whatever he set his mind to, he accomplished.  He was a bird ready to take flight. 

At the Health Food store, we are all passionate, strong-willed and driven, many of us introverted.  Sven broke through all of us with his outgoing personality.  We became a tight-knit family and we all feel a big gap right now.  We were a team.  We didn’t always agree, but we shared, we listened, we debated and we trusted each other in knowing that when we walked to our vehicles at the end of the day, we walked as friends. 

I have always appreciated Sven’s willingness to listen and understand, trying his best not to pass judgment with grace and empathy. He beamed and his smile has always been contagious.  He allowed himself to see the small beauties that surround us, but he also saw the darkness.  In many ways, he was our angel flying to close to the ground. 

Sven is with his grandfather now, taking good care of one another.  I can only imagine how beautiful the flowers are in their garden now. 

You meet many people in a lifetime.  Some stay for a long time and some only for a little while.  Some make impacts and some simply don’t.  We were all lucky enough to have Sven in our lives for only a little while.  His impact will last a lifetime. 

Written By: Jennifer Bowes for Sven’s Family 

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the many friends & family for the visits, messages, phone calls, flowers, cards, meals, goodies & to Reynars Funeral Home for the care given in our time of need.  

A Celebration of Sven’s life was held on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 1:00 pm, Alberta time, at the Bonanza Hall, Bonanza, Alberta. Pauline Haycock officiated. Interment will be at a later date. 

Very Respectfully Reynars Funeral Home