JOHN THIESSEN

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JOHN THIESSEN Peacefully at his home at the age of 83. Mourning his passing is Pamela, his wife of 58 years; and his four sons, Bryan (Sigrid), Craig (Marlene), Bruce (Christina) and Mark (Valerie). He also leaves his brothers, Helmut and Arthur; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews. John was predeceased by his parents Henry and Olga; and his brother Henry. John was born June 17, 1924, in a Mennonite community in Barak, Crimea, Ukraine. The family immigrated to Canada in 1926 to escape civil war and religious persecution. John was fond of retelling many stories from his childhood growing up amongst his extended family. These happy stories arose despite the challenges of the Great Depression. Upon coming of age during the Second World War, John enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force and was posted to London. Unable to fly due to color blindness, his bilingualism qualified him to interpret the German documents provided through the Red Cross. From those records, he drafted the notifications to next of kin for fallen Canadian soldiers. Immediately upon return to Winnipeg, he chanced to meet Pamela Stevens at the Winnipeg Roller Rink. Within months, this meeting had kindled into the love affair that would endure through John's life. John and Pamela married September 17, 1949, and in the early years John was employed at the T. Eaton Company, then in The City of Winnipeg Health Department. In his off hours he had undertaken, then discarded, several entrepreneurial projects. As the birth of his third child approached, he shocked his in-laws by quitting his secure City job to begin renting televisions and typewriters. In the fullness of time, this became National Typewriter and Office Equipment Co. Ltd., and National Industrial Sound. The company saw rapid expansion when the Philips Dictation and Canon Copier product lines were added. For many years his brothers worked with John to grow the company. John was proud that this family business saw his offspring and those of many other staff, working together at National. It was a golden time in our lives. John was a dynamo who had retired in the 1970s, but he kept busy with his hobby, National Typewriter, for the next 25 years. His business acumen and recall of numbers and events was legendary. As John began his final decade, he oversaw the sale of National and enjoyed many years chatting with past associates and wintering in Florida. He was devoted to Pamela and they were inseparable. At the time of his passing, John was Pamela's dedicated caregiver. John's endless enthusiasm and zest for life made him a unique and memorable individual. He called himself an eccentric. He was a collector of any object of beauty that caught his imagination. He loved dancing with Pamela. His compassion and religious conviction made him an anonymous philanthropist. He was intense and loving. He counted his blessings every day, from the health of his family, to the opportunity to live freely in Canada, to each day of life in this beautiful world. We will miss you dad. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made to the Mennonite Central Committee. Service celebrating John's life Friday, November 9, 1:30 p.m. at First Mennonite Church, 922 Notre Dame Ave. Service ends at the church, interment to follow privately at a later date. Refreshments to follow immediately at the church. THOMSON IN THE PARK FUNERAL HOME AND CEMETERY www.thomsoninthepark.com 925-1120 Life stories may be shared with friends and family across the globe at www.mem.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 03, 2007