Jacob Janzen

History

Dad was the second son born to John and Sarah (Unger) Janzen. He was the second of seven boys, Uncle Ben being the oldest. Dad was born in Ignatyevo, Russia, what now is the Ukraine, on November 29, 1930. My Oma, Dad’s mom always said that dad was her sickly child. He was sickly from the time he was born and that carried on all his life until he died.

When Dad was two years old, my Opa and Oma fled to Siberia, to Omsk, a small settlement close to what is now Kakakhstan. There they lived for 8 years. In Omsk, four more brothers were born; Uncle John, Henry, Nick and Neil. In 1941, under threat of war and communism, they fled to Fuerstenland, and settled in the small Mennonite Village #1 which was close to Zaporizhzhia. Two weeks later, five villages were forced to flee again so they headed westward. Russia and Germany were at war but although they were Russian citizens, they were German speaking so they followed the German army westward. My Opa was determined to get to Germany. They travelled mostly by foot, but sometimes by wagon and occasionally by boxcar. Bombs exploding around them and death everywhere they slowly made their way through Poland, then Bessarabia and Romania.

On the way, Uncle Ben and Dad got Trachoma, a serious eye infection, but were lucky enough to receive treatment in Poland. They did get to Germany but once there, Stalin wanted all Russian citizens to be returned to Russia so my Opa and Oma fled to an international refugee camp in Germany, narrowly escaping being sent back to Russia.

In 1945, Dad received Jesus as his personal Savior and was baptized in a small farm dugout in the village of Ottenstein, Westphalia, Germany.

There in Germany, Dad’s youngest brother Danny was born. Now my Opa and Oma had seven boys and would now try to get to Canada. My Opa’s brother Jake was lucky enough to immigrate to Canada in 1928. Being well established in Clearbrook, he and his wife Lisa were able to sponsor them all to come to Canada. Dad’s Uncle Jake was an Alderman here in Clearbrook. He started the Clearbrook Water works and had Janzen Street named after him.

In the spring of 1948, Dad’s family arrived in Canada. They landed in Quebec. They then travelled by train to Winnipeg and then later to Mission, arriving on Mother’s Day. They settled in Clearbrook where they stayed with their Uncle Jake. Uncle Jake had secured property in Matsqui that would be their home. No sooner had they started to build their small home that the great flood of ’48 hit and their newly started house floated away. Some say that they were not only refugees but boat people as well.

When the flood receded, the house settled on a fence nearby and the Janzen men cut it into three pieces, got a tractor and hauled it back to its foundation. There they lived for many years.

Meeting Mom

Dad then moved to Vancouver to find work. He ended up finding a job in 1950 at Weldwood Canada, a plywood mill on the Fraser River. Close to Fraser St and 41st, he and his brother Ben rented a small room and that’s where they lived. One day Dad was walking along Fraser St. on a very rainy day and met three young ladies. Then, and even today, Dad did a very risky thing, he invited the three girls to his room. It was all very innocent but Ben was pretty angry with dad. What would people say? But Dad had an irresistible smile; how could those girls say no. One of them later became my mom.

In 1951, dad developed a tumor on his lung and was quite sick for a very long time. Dad and Mom had started dating by then, but Mom decided to stick it out with this man. When Dad got better, he would often borrow a car and they would go to Spanish Banks and go for walks. They both were members at the 43rd church and would see each other there as well. They were married on August 9, 1953.

Just after I was born, June 1955, dad got seriously sick again. This time he ended up losing one of his kidneys. He was in the hospital a long time and couldn’t work for two years. Weldwood was good to him though, they gladly kept his position open for him and when he could, his job was there when he returned. Those were tough times though; Mom had a baby and a sick husband.

In 1958 they became Canadian Citizens and were welcomed by WAC Bennett at the opening of the Centennial Pool by Mill Lake.

In the next coming years, three more children came into this world; Victor, Anita and Karien.

Dad and Mom lived in many different places in Vancouver. At first it was just a small rented room with a shared bathroom down the hall but gradually they moved into a small modest house. Dad became a house builder while still working at Weldwood so we moved a lot.

All through Dad’s life he battled one ailment after another including various cancers and back injuries. On Monday, May 8th, he was admitted to the hospital very ill. The doctors soon found that the aneurism surgery he had seven years earlier was beginning to fail. The doctors said the it could burst any time and there was nothing that could be done for him when it did. It could be hours or days but definitely not more than a week. Dad waited until day seven before he finally let go, dying on Mother’s Day and only 3 months from their 70th Wedding Anniversary.

Faith

Dad loved the Lord. Since 1948, when Dad got saved, he did his best to point his family to Jesus. He loved his Savior. Church attendance was important to him. Dad was a member at a few MB churches. First here at this church, Clearbrook MB, then later at the 43rd MB and then Culloden MB. Finally, they ended up back here at the Clearbrook MB. As a couple they were also very involved with MCC, as mom managed one of the Vancouver stores.

I had the privilege of taking Dad to a Promise Keeper in Seattle. It was an awesome time of learning, worshiping and being challenge to be better men, husbands and fathers.

Conclusion

Dad had a life of hardship but he always overcame…. fleeing communism and war, poverty and starvation and many serious illnesses. He was strict when we were growing up and we all feared his hand, but he later softened, particularly when the girls came, especially his baby girl.

He also had a real sense of sarcastic humor. I especially saw it in the Rose Room where he met with his brothers and friends for coffee every morning since they moved to the Garden Park Tower. My cousin Glen said that he loved sitting across from Uncle Ben because he was the story teller and he loved to sit beside dad because he made him laugh so much. He was always quick with jokes and sarcastic comments.

I was privileged to sit with my dad every day for the last week of his life. I saw him cry and laugh with visitors. He told me of visions he had. Most of all, I heard him pray for all his kids, grandkids and great grandkids, that they would respond to the drawing of God. Jesus said in John 6:44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day”.

Dad prayed that his kids would all respond to the Fathers drawing and come to Jesus… and yes, God will raise him up on the last day. What a glorious hope.

Dad will be greatly missed by his brother Henry, many nieces and nephews, his 4 children; Ron (Hilda), Victor, Anita (Jim) and Karien (Brian), 7 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, but mostly by Mom, his wife of almost 70 years.

~ written by Ron Janzen, eldest son

A visitation for Jacob will be held Wednesday, May 24, 2023 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Woodlawn Funeral Home, 2310 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford, BC V2T2X5. A memorial service will occur Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Clearbrook MB Church, 2719 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford, BC V2T2Y7.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.woodlawnfh-abbotsford.com for the Janzen family.