March 4, 1924 - July 17, 2023
In loving memory ~
Beloved Father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather was born March 4, 1924, in Nieder Chortiza, Ukraine. He was the oldest of four sons of Henry and Anna (nee Redekop). In 1948 Jake and his brothers Henry and Dick were sponsored to come to Canada and settled in Abbotsford however because of some health complications for his mother, his parents and youngest brother Peter went to Paraguay. They were able to join the boys in Canada in 1952. Jake met his beloved wife Katie at a young people's meeting in Vancouver. They fell in love and married July 30, 1950, at the Bethel Mennonite Church where they became active members of the community.
They moved to their farm in Aldergrove where they lived for many years prior to their retirement years at Garden Park Towers in Abbotsford. Jake was a devoted family man and dearly loved his children and grandchildren and the recent addition of great-grandchildren. He loved to think back to all the wonderful memories he had including Easter Egg hunts, opening presents at Christmas, celebrating birthdays and holidays as well as weekend ventures out to Sudden Valley or Sooke. Jake was passionate about fishing and this became a wonderful addition to his life. He and Katie, along with his cousins and friends discovered Sooke, where they would spend many summers, fishing by day, and socializing by night. Jake lived a very full life. He felt blessed for what he had and for all the people who he had come to know over the years, including those who took care of him in his later years, both at Menno Place and at Mayfair.
Jake died peacefully at the Mayfair home at the age of 99. He was dearly loved and will be missed by many.
Memorial Service will be held at 3 p.m. on Friday, August 11, 2023, at Langley Mennonite Fellowship, 20997-40 Avenue, Langley.
Online condolences to the family may be made to: www.wiebeandjeskefh.com