Tribute

Jake was born in Didsbury Alberta on October 11, 1927.  They farmed a quarter section of land.  It was mixed farming combining grain and some dairy.  Hail and frost didn’t make farming easy and the quality of the grain was not very good.  It was time to move.  They had family members in the Fraser Valley in British Columbia.  That is where they went, finally purchasing ten acres in Arnold. 

In Didsbury Jake attended a one room school. In Arnold he  attended a school in which there were 40 students per class.  He found that difficult and dropped out of grade nine at Christmas.  He started working in a general store in Arnold where he stocked shelves and made some local deliveries.  In the summer months there were berries to be picked.  Jake worked for one of the farmers.  Many of the pickers were from the South Abbotsford area and one of those pickers was Mary Ratzlaff.  For some reason Jake spent a lot of time in her row.  

In the 1940s Yarrow had a Bible School.  Jake attended for one year.  He dedicated his life to God and was baptized the following summer. 

Jake went back to school at MEI and completed grades 10 and 11. He also took a few grade 12 courses.  Some of Mary’s siblings also attended MEI.  This was a way Jake could stay connected with Mary. They would meet at church events, picnics, and singing evenings. 

Jake always had a love of sales. After completing school in 1947 he got a job at Spencers Department Store in Mission. He worked in the produce department. When Spencers sold to Eatons, the produce department was closed and Jake started selling in the furniture and appliance department. He loved it. 

On May 27, 1949, Jake and Mary were married.  It wasn’t long until they built a small house in Abbotsford and their first child, Alvin David, was born. Jake continued to work at Eatons and they decided to move to 10 acres on Columbia Road. They had an acre of strawberries that kept them busy and another child, Judith Marie, was added to the family. The next move was to Lynn street.  Sharon Lynn and Rose Anne were born there. 

Several years later, Mary’s brother Alfred approached Jake and Mary about the possibility of buying a dairy farm together.  A dairy farm on Short Road became their next home.  Alf ran the farm and Jake continued working at Eatons. About this time Jake was approached about opening a furniture department at Peacocks.  It took Jake a year to decide.  He quit his job at Eatons and became a partner at Peacocks. Jake thrived on this new adventure.  Peacock Furniture Village grew until it had four successful locations.  The hard work paid off and Jake retired at age 55. 

The next few years he partnered with others to build some houses, an apartment, and some commercial properties. 

Jake and Mary took time to travel.  They loved to go south in the winter months where they enjoyed  the warmer weather. 

Jake loved to hunt and fish.  He spent many hours on lakes in British Columbia. Jake and Mary co-purchased a house on Sheraton Lake where they spent many days with family and friends. And of course there was fishing. 

They went to Germany a number of times and helped in some of the Mennonite churches.  Jake even did some drywall repair and painting. 

Jake also volunteered at Gleaners and the Mennonite Central Committee Thrift Store. At MCC Jake repaired furniture.  

Jake and Mary attended Bakerview Church for over 50 years.  Many family friends were made during that time.  Jake was an usher and also sang in the Seniors choir. Being part of the funeral committee gave Jake and Mary many years of enjoyable service.  They were greatly appreciated. 

In 2019 they moved into the Primrose apartment.  In the last two years Jake’s health declined. For the last six weeks of his life he was in the Abbotsford Hospital. His family spent many hours at his bedside before his death. 

He passed away peacefully May 2, 2023 with Judy and Rose by his side.  Mary was able to see him earlier that day.  He is survived by his wife Mary and children, Alvin (Marjorie) Warkentin, Judy (Don) Nickel, Sharon (Steve) Richardson,  Rose (Len) Loewen, 12 grandchildren, many great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild. 

Jake will be missed by his family and friends.