Ben (Bernhard) Marks

Ben Marks passed away peacefully at Bevan Village in Abbotsford on Jan. 11, 2024. He was 89 years old. Ben is survived by his wife Lydia, his 3 children – David (Charlene), Ken (Anne Langlois), and Anita (Hugh Eisler), and his 3 grandchildren – Garrett, Austin and Julia.

He was born in Poland in 1934 but he was considered German. His family consisted of his parents and 3 older siblings. They lived on a farm. World War II disrupted their lives and they were forced to move to Germany. Ultimately, they ended up in a DP camp in Germany. The Marks’ family (except for his sister) emigrated to Canada in 1948. Ben’s Uncle had a farm in Sion near Westlock, Alberta. They stayed in Sion for a few years but it was very hard to farm with no animals or equipment. But that is where Ben met Lydia for the first time. Ultimately, Ben moved to Edmonton and he and Lydia became serious. They were married in September 1954. Ben succeeded in getting his Auto Body Mechanic certification. They worked hard and were able to save up to build a new house in Edmonton. Shortly after, David was born in 1958. Kenneth followed in 1962. But Ben got a hankering to be a farmer again. He and Lydia went on vacation to British Columbia. They fell in love with Chilliwack and bought a dairy farm in 1962. They became members of the Christ Lutheran Church shortly after arriving in Chilliwack. Anita was born in 1965. After 5 years they decided dairy farming was not for them and Ben went back to work as an Auto Body Mechanic (bodyman). He worked for Brett’s and then Motorcade in Abbotsford. He retired in 1996. He spent his retirement riding around on his scooter (a Honda 50 cc) all over Chilliwack back streets. He loved to go on bus tours that Lydia organized. He also liked to go to the casino on occasion. As his eyesight began to fail, he gave up his beloved scooter. Unfortunately, the love of his life, Lydia developed dementia and was put in a home in 2021. Ben continued to live in his home on Adams Road until a few months ago when he fell and broke a hip. He never returned home except for a brief goodbye visit. The family would like to thank Dr. Laughland and his caregiver Kim for their exceptional care in his last few years. He will be missed by his family and friends.