Erna (Jabs) Rode

Erna (Jabs) Rode, 91, of Plymouth, widow of Gustave Rode who died in 1993, passed away Friday August 23, 2019 at Cook Willow Convalescent Home, Plymouth.

Erna was born October 15, 1927 in Grosdembe, Poland, she was the 8th child of 11 born to Emile and Amelia (Henke) Jabs.  Erna was 8 years old when her mother died.  She was then cared for by her father and older siblings.  At about 13 years old, Hitler invaded Poland and Erna was sent to school in Germany.  She was 25 years old when she migrated to America with the sponsorship of an older brother, Albert.  Erna’s parents were married in Waterbury, CT.  After having one son, they moved to Poland, where the rest of their children were born, her brother Albert arranging for all his siblings to come to the United States.  Erna worked in the Bristol area, doing factory work and then as a nurse’s aide.  She met her husband, Gustave Rode, and married in 1952.

Having survived the tragedy of World War II, she was often searching for truth and satisfying answers to life’s problems.  She found what she was looking for when the late Clara Wind visited Erna in a door to door ministry.  She then enjoyed a personal Bible study with Anne Marie Anderson from the Bristol Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses.  Erna was baptized on 11/10/1974 and served her God, Jehovah until her death.  She enjoyed several decades of bible study work and sharing the wonderful truths of God’s word in her own ministry. Erna had a deep love for her family. She also had a great love for animals and became attached to many ducks and other wild animals on her property, over feeding them regularly. She enjoyed swimming and walks through the woods, marveling at the beauty of creation.  She was a member of the Plymouth, CT Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

She is survived by a brother, Emile Jabs of Bristol; her two sons, Victor Rode and Lawrence Rode and his wife Carmen and a step grandson, Austin Grey and his wife Phalen.  She was predeceased by siblings, Albert, Julius, Tina, Freda, Lydia, Martha, Waldemar and Daniel.

A memorial service will be held 3:00PM on Saturday August 31, 2019 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witnesses, 2670 North Main St., Auditorium B, Waterbury, CT  06704.
www.scottfuneralhomeinc.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Erna (Jabs) Rode, please visit our floral store.