Obituary of Gerhard Johannes Janssen

Obituary Gerhard Johannes Janssen was born in Nenndorf, a northern German region of Ostfriesland, on May 05, 1937 to Minna and Edo Janssen. He spent his early years growing up with four siblings in Nenndorf, and by the age of fifteen was working for local farms and businesses. He met the love of his life, Mathilde, at a local dance in 1955 and joined the military in 1956. Shortly thereafter they were engaged and married in September of 1958. Gerhard became the father of five children and, together with Mathilde, worked through the sixty's and seventy's in many different occupations while at the same time building up a farm. He started with chickens and pigs, and by 1970 he added four dairy cows. By the early1980's that small herd had grown into a 120 head dairy production that he operated together with the family near the city of Meppen. Always pushing the boundaries in his life, the idea started within him to move to a new country. Australia, Paraguay, and Canada where on the list with maybe some other countries. Having had the opportunity to see Canada in 1982, he and Mathilde along with the family moved to their new home in the mid 1980's to a large, 2500 acre farming operation in the northern region of British Columbia. During the next 25 years he was the manager of the operation where he, true to his nature and along with his family, gave his all to build it up to a 400 head Simmental herd and cash crop operation. After he retired, he continued with a smaller operation of cattle, horses, and one of his passions from his youth, carrier pigeons, which kept him busy in his later years. Gerhard was an avid hunter and lover of nature throughout his life and enjoyed many days, both in Germany and Canada, following his passion. Having worked hard to build a better future for him and his family, it was not until later in life that he and Mathilde had the chance to not only travel by motor home throughout Canada, but fly to many different parts of the world and enjoy life away from daily struggles and responsibilities. Even though Gerhard made the rugged northern part of Canada his second home and struggled through some very difficult health issues, he stayed true to his Ostfriesen roots, and with Mathilde always by his side, has now left us to go to a more peaceful place, having lived life to the fullest. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mathilde Janssen, Children: Angelika Janssen, Edo (Jan) Janssen, Wolfgang (Brenda) Janssen, Ute (Dan) Brinton, Gerhard (Leslie) Janssen, 13 Grandchildren and 4 Great-Grandchildren A memorial service will held from the Upper Pine Gospel Church on Wednesday September 29, 2021 at 2:00 pm with an interment to follow at the North Pine Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy can be made in memory of Gerhard to the Fort St. John Hospital Foundation - Please Click Here Services Memorial Service Wednesday September 29, 2021 2:00 PM Upper Pine Gospel Church Rose Prairie Road Rose Prairie, BC V0C2H0