(née Achterberg)
July 16, 1927 – August 26, 2019
Janna Van Dyke was an incredible woman. Devoted wife, mother, oma, and great-oma, she cared for her family and loved us all deeply. It is with incredibly heavy hearts that we announce her passing on Monday, August 26th, 2019, at age 92, when she joined her husband, Thys, in their ‘ever after’.
Born on July 16, 1927 in Oude Kerk aan den ljssel, Netherlands, Janna was one of nine siblings to parents, Cornelis and Leentje Achterberg. A young teenager during World War 2, Janna would often recount stories of her childhood experiences helping to raise her younger siblings and helping her parents to feed the family. At age 12, Janna had to quit school because she was needed at home. She had a dream of starting a new life in Canada, and in 1951, this dream came true. She married the love of her life, Thys Van Dyke, and together they immigrated to Canada to begin their new adventure in Wetaskiwin, Alberta. Here Thys had found a job as a farm hand, and Janna would help the family in their home, learning English from the young girl there. Then in 1955, Thys and Janna moved to Peace River, Alberta, which was home for several years while raising their two children. During this time, Janna worked as a seamstress, and was involved with the community, specifically the B.P.O.E. Royal Purple Club of Peace River. In 1972, she and Thys moved their family to the beautiful Chilliwack River Valley to pursue chicken farming. Eventually they relocated to a new chicken farm on Yale Road West in Greendale and continued to farm there until they retired in 1988. Janna spent the following years travelling with her husband, RVing around the West Coast, hosting wonderful parties, knitting iconic sweaters, and spending time with her growing family. She enjoyed conversations over coffee, cheering for her favourite hockey teams, watching her games shows, and loved a good joke. Most notably, Janna was known to always have the chocolate chip cookie jar ready for anyone who came by for a visit.
For Janna, family always came first. She had an incredible mindset, and could make due with very little so that her children could have it all. She was extremely proud of her children, and wanted always to ensure they were happy, healthy, and connected as a family. She had a close relationship with each of her grandchildren and with her great-grandchild. She is predeceased by her husband, Thys, of 65 years whom she cared for deeply. She is also pre-deceased by her parents and siblings, Joop Achterberg, Jan Achterberg, Gertje Verweij, Teun Achterberg, Core Achterberg, Bep Herd, and Arnold Achterberg, and by her son-in-law, Roy Mussell. She is survived by her brother, Leen (Gre) Achterberg, her brothers-in-law, Ab (Tina) van Dijk and Brand van Dijk, and her children, Ron (Grace) Van Dyke, and Maryanne Mussell (Ted Bergen). She is also survived by her grandchildren, Stuart Reaugh, Courtney (Craig) Dalton, Stephanie Van Dyke, and Madison Mussell (Dónal Daly), and her great-grandchild, Jack Dalton.
We will always remember Janna as a very smart, witty, and selfless woman, who would show her love through her actions. In most cases, this meant home-cooked meals, delicious baked goods, warm hand-knit sweaters, or when no one was looking, sharing a coveted chocolate from her stash. We will miss her warm welcome at the door, “Hello, Hello!”, and the mischievous smirk that would cross her face when she told a good joke. Met with many hardships in life, Janna was so brave right until the end. She modeled incredible strength and grace, and taught us the importance of hard work and perseverance. To celebrate Janna’s amazing life, we will be having a small family party in lieu of a public service. We would like to extend a special thank you to Janna’s family doctor, Dr. Chow, and to the nurses and staff at Cascade Hospice Residence. Janna believed in angels, and so we take comfort in knowing she will continue to be with us. We’ll see you in a long day.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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