Mrs. Violet Hermione Jones

Violet Hermione Jones (nee Jacobs), fondly called Goggy, passed away peacefully on Tuesday June 4th, 2013, at Cedarview Lodge in Lynn Valley. She was surrounded by her close family until the end and is mourned by all who knew her, especially her husband of 73 years, John Jones. She was an extraordinary wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who lived on three continents and survived two World Wars and the Depression.

Vi was predeceased by her Mum and Dad, May and Sam Jacobs, to whom she was absolutely devoted, and her two younger brothers, Jim (Pat) and Arthur Jacobs. She is survived by her sister, Daphne Langford (Wally) in Chessington, England, sister-in-law, Renzie Jacobs, and a large family in Canada: husband John, children Sylvia (Eric) and David (Susan); 5 grandchildren: Kjerstin, Bjorn, Meghan, Amy and Rachel, and 11 great-grandchildren: Chelsea, Aylish, Anja, Landseer, Acesea, Lachlan, Maeve, Jacob, Esme, Bronwyn and Margaret.

Vi was born in 1915 in Nairobi, Kenya, where her father ran a successful coffee farm and other businesses. Vi was very proud of her Jewish ancestry with roots in Tsarist Russia; her father was a founding member of the Nairobi Synagogue. She lived a very happy childhood in Kenya and also attended the famous Parktown Convent in Johannesburg. In the early 30’s the Jacobs family suffered financial reverses, mainly due to a pioneering experiment with sisal farming that failed. With the Great Depression then in full flow, they moved to England in 1932 to revive their fortunes.

Vi enjoyed a carefree life as a young woman in England before the War doing various secretarial jobs and traveling. She met her future husband, John Jones, on a tennis court in 1938. Tennis remained an abiding pleasure until she was well into her 80's. Vi and John were married in London during the Blitz (August 1940) as their own act of defiance in a seemingly hopeless time, just before the expected invasion of the Nazis; Herr Hitler never recovered from the blow and the rest is history. Two children came quickly and they survived the bombing in London unscathed, but the dreary economic conditions in the aftermath of WWII made them decide to emigrate to Canada in 1956.

With limited resources and knowing absolutely no one in Canada, Vi and John courageously took the long journey to B.C., and settled in North Vancouver. John obtained a good job and Vi became Secretary to the Land Clerk in North Van. District, a responsible position she held for many years. After retirement in 1975, she was able to indulge in numerous pursuits such as tennis, gardening, and bridge, as well as an astonishingly wide social life. Vi and John also traveled frequently, particularly to Hawaii, England and Australia, all of which she adored. Even more, she enjoyed her grandchildren and all the extended family. No matter how far away the grandchildren lived, she and John would visit them frequently.

Although she was a longtime member of the United Church, in recent years Vi joined the Har El Synagogue where she revived her Jewish roots. She was warmly welcomed there which gave her profound pleasure.

She maintained remarkable health throughout her long life and was still enjoying a good bridge and poker game up to the last week of her life.

A Celebration of her Life will be held at North Lonsdale United Church, 3380 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver on Sunday, June 23rd, 2013 at 2:00 PM. Flowers in vases are welcome, especially flowers from your own garden. Vi was a very keen gardener and her garden at Kew Cottage, North Vancouver was a joy to behold.