John Groothof

John Groothof was born on April 23, 1936, in Stedum, Grongen, The Netherlands, to Luebbert and Epke Groothof. John was the first of two sons for Luebbert and Epke, and Henry joined the family 18 months later. The brothers were raised in a Christian family and attended church every Sunday.

John immigrated to Canada on July 1, 1949, at 13 years old. The family travelled by boat and landed on the east coast of Canada and then took a 3-day train trip to Neerlandia, Alberta, where John’s dad worked for a farmer. In Fall 1950, the Groothof family continued their journey to Dewdney, BC, where the farmwork continued for Luebbert and the boys helped after school. In 1953 the family moved to Abbotsford which became their forever home.

John spent many years helping his dad with farmwork and also worked for a family on a pig farm. In 1968, John made a career change, starting what would be a 29 year career with the Abbotsford School District as a Custodian.

Around the same time, John met Thelma Friesen through a blind date, and on September 11, 1970, they were married. They started attending Sevenoaks Alliance Church in Abbotsford, BC, where John volunteered as an usher and coordinated access to a neighboring school for Sunday School classes. They grew to a family of three when their daughter, Angela, was born on September 12, 1972. As his daughter grew, John enjoyed taking her for rides on his bike, building swing sets and other toys, showing her how to use basic tools, and playing checkers with her.

As a custodian, John worked at Simpson Elementary School, Clearbrook Elementary School and Chief Dan George Elementary School. He retired from the school district in August 1997.

John was an avid Canucks fan. During hockey season, you would often find him watching a game and cheering on his favorite team. He enjoyed attending a live game with his daughter and continued to tell the story of that many years later. His favorite hat was a Canucks cap that he would often wear when out and about. He filled Canucks off season watching Toronto Blue Jays games on tv, but hockey was always his favorite.

During retirement, John enjoyed coffees at McDonalds every weekday morning with a group of friends, returning home for lunch and then a snooze on his favorite chair. He also spent many hours hanging out with his brother-in-law, Bernie, recycling cans and newspapers, and enjoyed time with his eldest nephews, Len and Roy. He continued to attend and usher at Sevenoaks Alliance Church. In later years, his ‘ride’ became a ‘modded’ four wheeled scooter complete with flag and special storage for his forearm crutches.

When John’s health started to deteriorate, he moved to Tabor Court Assisted Living and later to Maplewood House Care Home. John never lost his sense of humor and always enjoyed joking around with the staff and sharing a smile or a laugh. His face would always light up when his wife, daughter or other friends and family arrived for a visit.

After a sudden change in health, on September 25, 2024, John went to be with Jesus. He is survived by his wife, Thelma, daughter, Angela, his brother and wife, Henry and Alice, nieces and nephews and their families.