JANSSEN ~ Marcel Elie Joseph (Jan)
March 8, 1914 - June 4, 2013
Dad passed away peacefully at Bevan Lodge in his 99th year, surrounded by the love of his family. Dad was the dear husband of Ruth (deceased 1998) and
much loved father of Joyce and John Friesen of Abbotsford and Marcelle (Marcie) and Bert Dercola of Markham, Ontario. He was a devoted grandfather to Jody Friesen/Bud Wandrei and Marnie and Casey Vinet of Abbotsford and
Tracie Graham and Joely and Keith McEwen of Markham. Dearly loved great-grandfather (Gigi) of Ava Vinet, Trenton
Graham and Cole and Burke McEwen. A loved friend to his sister-in-law and her husband, Joyce and Elved Edwards
of Chilliwack and their family; brother-in-law and his wife, Fred and Lee Hall of Hope. Dad emigrated from Liege, Belgium to Canada with his parents, Joseph and Elise, in 1923, settling first in Treherne, MB then moving to Winnipeg a few years later. He
met Mom, Ruth Hall, in a church play and they married in 1940. Dad was a career soldier (Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers - RCEME), enlisting in 1943. Fortunately,
he was never involved in combat as armistice was declared while crossing the Atlantic. He was with the occupying
forces for a year in Holland prior to shipping home. Being French bilingual, his army life was then spent between
Quebec and Winnipeg, achieving the rank of W02. On retiring from the military in 1966, he and Mom moved to BC to join other family members. They travelled extensively until Mom’s health failed in 1994 and she passed away in 1998. Dad carried on stoically for eight years in their condo, moving on to Hallmark by the Lake and, as his health
declined, finally to Bevan Lodge in 2012. Dad was a devoted family man, a gallant gentleman, well-respected and cared for by those who knew him. He
loved woodworking - passed down from his father who was a cabinetmaker - and he was a beautiful dancer. It was
lovely to see him and Mom gliding to a Strauss waltz. Dad compiled his memoirs, ‘I Remember’, in 1999 and it is
now our task to write the final chapter.
Many thanks to Dr. Collingridge for his excellent care of Dad and always being available to the family. Thanks also
to the staff at Bevan for their kind care and compassion - thank you Nurse John for making Dad’s final night so
comfortable. Cremation has been entrusted to Henderson Fraser Valley
Funeral Home. There will be no service at this time. Rather, a ‘Celebration of Life’ will take place later in the summer when Dad’s Abbotsford and Markham families can come together to toast a very special man.
Sleep softly, Dad