Audrey Poetker

Audrey Poetker was born in 1962 in Steinbach, Manitoba. Her descendants moved from Russia to Canada in the 1870’s and 1920’s. With the exception of one year spent in the former East Germany and a few months in France, Poetker has resided in rural Manitoba for her entire life. Until the age of 15, Poetker attended a Mennonite church there with her parents, although she currently dubs herself only culturally Mennonite.

Poetker is married to Jack Thiessen, a retired German professor. Thiessen is known as a writer of comedic Mennonite short stories in Low German. Poetker has published three poetry books through Turnstone Press, and is currently working on a novel from her farm in rural Manitoba.