Tribute

Franz Philippsen, was born in Witmarssum (Ibirama), Santa Catarina, Brazil as the fifth child to Peter and Helene (Arendt) Philippsen on September 23, 1935. As a young boy, he showed interest in mechanical things, and was trained as an automobile mechanic in his youth. Following his mechanics apprenticeship, he served in the Brazilian army for one year. Early in 1958, he established a mechanics shop in Curitiba with his brothers. In November 1958, he married the love of his life, Heinrietta Kasdorf. In 1959, they welcomed their daughter, Ingrid, into their lives. Franz was baptized upon the confession of his faith into the Mennonite Brethern Church at Vila Guaira, Curitiba, Brazil in December 1959.  Franz & Heinrietta were able to purchase a small house in 1963, and shortly after, welcomed another daughter, Regina, into their small family. In February 1968, they moved to Canada, settling in Vancouver, BC, where they became members of the Vancouver MB Church, and remained active members until 1990, when they moved to Abbotsford, B.C. In the preceding years, both their daughters married and provided grandchildren, which became the joy of Franz’s life. Upon moving to Abbotsford, they became active members at the King Road MB Church.

Franz was a person who could never sit still for very long and enjoyed tinkering on a variety of things, whether it was fixing watches or x-ray machines, inventing gadgets that were made from scrap materials he found along the way. When any of the family or friends needed something fixed, he was called.

On December 25, 2020, Franz fell and was admitted into the Abbotsford Regional Hospital & Cancer Center; December 26 the family was informed that he had been diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. He passed into the presence of his Lord and Saviour on January 2, 2021 after a brief struggle with cancer.

He leaves behind his loving wife of 62 years, Heinrietta; his daughters Ingrid (Hans H.) Krueger and Regina (Wayne) Lonneberg, his grandchildren: Evelyn (Brad), Julia (David), Elisha, Aaron (Rebecca), Matthew, Lucas (Taylor) and Bethany (Tyler); his greatgrandchildren James, Gage, Faith & Elijah and his older sister Alice (Gerhard) Baerg.

Franz will be remembered with love by all whose lives he touched.