DR. WERNER RIENAS

RIENAS, DR. WERNER Dr. Werner Rienas, born on June 20, 1959, resident of Aurora, Ontario, passed away on June 10, 2022, of sudden cardiac arrest, while riding his beloved road bike. Werner was born and raised in Stoney Creek, Ontario and graduated from Summit Bible College, British Columbia. Soon after, he moved to Oregon to be the youth pastor at Milwaukee Assembly of God, where he also received his Master of Divinity degree from George Fox University. He then took a Senior Pastor position in Nederland, Texas, before his love of Oregon brought him back to lead Life Church in Beaverton. Under his leadership, the church built a multi-phase campus and started a K-12 school. During this time, he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Seminary. After 26 years in Beaverton, Werner returned home to Ontario, to pastor at Warden Full Gospel Assembly in Scarborough, where he remained for the past four years. Werner's partner through these adventures was his beloved high school sweetheart, Gabi Rienas (née Weidelich), whom he met on the tennis court at Bethel Park campground. Gabi followed Werner to British Columbia for college, where they married and completed their degrees, before entering the ministry together. They were blessed with their daughter, Alison Piepmeyer (née Rienas), in 1986, and their son, Arden Rienas, in 1989. Werner loved hockey, football, cycling, hiking, reading, and traveling. Werner was a schemer and a dreamer who always had a passion project underway. As a self-described "fine physical specimen," he was 4/5 of the way through completing the Oregon portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, and he was training for a 300-mile cycling race. His winsome nature brought levity to every encounter. He never met a person he couldn't befriend. He passionately loved his grandchildren and spent every one of his vacation days traveling to see them. Werner is survived by his darling "Schmetterling" Gabi, his son Arden, his daughter and son-in-law Alison and Zach, his grandchildren Linus and Georgie, his father Ewald, his brother and sister-in-law Ron and Barb, his sister and brother-in-law Dorothy and John, and many nieces, nephews, in-laws, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins, friends, and his church family. We will miss Werner's light-hearted sense of humor, his determination to overcome any obstacle, his deep curiosity, his ability to stay positive in the face of adversity, and his tangible love for his entire extended family. Visitation to be held at Chapel Ridge Funeral Home (8911 Woodbine Avenue, Markham, ON L3R 5G1), on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, from 5:00-9:00 p.m. Funeral Service to take place at Cedarview Community Church (1000 Gorham Street, Newmarket, ON L3Y 1L8), on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. Online condolences may be made at www.chapelridgefh.com.