Tribute

Bernard Jack Friesen was born in Carrot River Saskatchewan in 1936. He was the youngest of six children. The family moved to Vancouver, BC when he was eleven. Jack graduated from John Oliver Secondary School.

Jack was a founding member of Vancouver Mennonite Mission, which later became Mountainview Mennonite Church. He met Betty Driediger from Aldergrove BC at a Mennonite youth retreat, and they were married two years later. He was 21. They had four children in just over five years.

Jack and Betty were very involved in the church. They were deacons, Sunday School teachers, Sunday School superintendents, and kids’ club leaders. For many years, Jack was the church treasurer. He was on the BC Mennonite Youth Organization (BCMYO) leadership team that purchased Camp Squeah in 1961. Jack spent many weekends and vacations working on cabins, trails, and programs with Betty and children in tow.

Before Jack and Betty had kids, Jack said that their kids had to have a childhood of fun. In his youth, he worked after school and on weekends, delivering groceries by bike for his uncle’s store. He couldn’t join any sports or clubs. It was going to be different for his children. His kids were going to have time to play.  Jack taught all of his kids to skate right after they learned to walk. He wouldn’t let them use the metal frames because he thought you couldn’t learn to skate properly that way. Too much hunching over. He considered riding bike a life skill, no training wheels and on a pot holed gravel road. You can imagine how that turned out. Learning to swim was an absolute must because he and Betty weren’t great swimmers so the children would have to learn to save themselves.

Jack didn’t just drop the kids off at their various sporting events. He was a coach, an umpire, and a referee. When he wasn’t doing any of those roles, he was up in the stands, cheering on his children and their teammates.  Jack was fun and spontaneous! He loved to take the family on car trips to surprise destinations. One time, the surprise destination was Disneyland. The night before departure, he told the family that they had to pack for warm weather and bring enough for 10 days. (But not too much because it all had to fit in the trunk of the car). The kids’ childhood was woven with adventures, sports, activities, fun and their mom’s voice saying, “Oh, Jack!”

Jack volunteered for M2W2’s Prison Mentorship Program. He was friendly and compassionate. He believed in second chances and people’s potential. On occasion he would take one or two of his children along to visit the men in prison.

Jack retired from BC Hydro at the age of 55 after working there for 35 years. On retirement, he and Betty travelled across Canada, sailed on many cruises, and went on mission trips to Central and South America.  They helped start the Fraser Valley Gleaners in Abbotsford, BC. In addition to the regular volunteer tasks, Jack helped with administration duties and the financial work. For many years, Jack and Betty volunteered for an organization that helped people with their income tax returns.

Jack and Betty were incredible grandparents. They engaged in their grandchildren’s lives by going to their events and cheering for them, playing games with them, listening to them, vacationing with them, having them over for weekends, attending their grad ceremonies. They built rich relationships with their grandchildren into their adulthood.

Jack’s deep love for Betty was evident in so many ways throughout their marriage. It showed up in the day to day (kneading the bread dough for her) and in the surprises and adventures he planned; picking wildflowers at the side of the road for an anniversary bouquet or booking a limousine, then hotel in Downtown Vancouver, then a float plane flight to Victoria. He was devastated when she died in 2012. With courage and purpose, Jack carried on their legacy of love in practical ways. He took seniors who couldn’t drive anymore on mystery car rides, bought groceries and household items for those who couldn’t afford them, helped people with their income tax forms, did childcare. When he saw a need, he stepped up.

Jack maintained his close relationships with his kids and grandchildren even in his last years, living with dementia. He might not have remembered their names all the time, but he knew that there was a great love connection.

Jack was predeceased by all 5 of his siblings and his wife, Betty. He is survived by his children, Gord (Elaine), Bev (Rudy G), Maureen (Rudy K), and Don (Karen); his grandchildren, Angela (Ian), Nick, Jessica (Jonathan), Kate-Lynn (Matt), Paul (Ruth), Gillian (Wes), Karli, Josiah (Taryn), Brad, Mitch (Kayla), Lauren; his great grandchildren, Jasper, Grayson, Nalu, Wyatt, Pippa, Xavier, Jan, Dominic, and Lucy.

The family would like to thank the staff at Northcrest Care Centre for their care for the last years of his life. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favourite charity.