Wilhelm Theodor Jansen

Born October 15, 1931, in Mönchengladbach, Germany, Wilhelm was the eldest child of Joseph and Katherine Jansen. As a young boy, he embraced responsibility early, stepping into the role of “man of the house” whenever his father was away and caring deeply for his younger sister, Josefina.

From childhood, Wilhelm was athletic and drawn to the outdoors. He became an avid cyclist, competing in bike races throughout his teenage years and early adulthood. In 1954, at just 23, he immigrated to Canada on his own. He arrived in Montreal, where fate brought him together with Evanghelia (Angie) in an English class. They married in November 1956 and began building a life defined by hard work and family. Together, they raised three sons and built their first home before eventually settling in Port Coquitlam, BC.

Wilhelm is survived by his loving wife Angie, two sons Robert and Steven, nine grandchildren, nine great‑grandchildren, and two step great‑grandchildren. He is predeceased by his sister Josefina, his son Norman, and his great‑granddaughter Olive.

A talented and meticulous residential builder, Wilhelm took immense pride in his craftsmanship. Outside of work, he was happiest in nature, gardening, camping, hunting, and fishing. In retirement, he spent countless joyful days at his beloved Big Bar property, swimming in the lake and fishing alongside his wife. His deep respect for wildlife was mutual; one summer, a mother bear regularly left her three cubs in a tree near him while she foraged, trusting Wilhelm enough to sleep at the base of the tree as he gardened and relaxed in the sun.

He also trained and competed with his highly skilled black Labradors, often sharing stories, including the one about the dog who faithfully brought him his slippers every afternoon. In later years, he delighted in teaching his great‑grandson Emmett how to warm up a frozen hummingbird by tucking it gently into a shirt pocket until it revived and zipped around the basement.

Wilhelm was social and jovial, the kind of man who could strike up a conversation with anyone. On sunny days, much to his wife’s dismay, he was often late for their lunch because he had found someone to talk to. His easy charm made him unforgettable to everyone he met.

He will be dearly missed and never forgotten.