JEAN THIESSEN

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JEAN THIESSEN On April 12, 2015 at 12:15 a.m., on a soft night in a perfectly still hospital, Jean Thiessen gave up the ghost. She was 87. She leaves her daughter and grandson, Lana and Jarrett Storey, respectively, in her wake. She was predeceased by her husband Walter Thiessen, her mother and father, Martin and Tenie Syposh, as well as her brother, Frank Syposh. Jean was a beautiful and gentle soul. And she was whip-smart. She was the backbone, the head, and the heart of our family. She enjoyed nothing more than travelling with her loved ones, experiencing exciting places, and meeting new people. Jean had a rare chemistry she was beloved quickly by all whose paths she crossed. It should be noted in this tribute that her skills in the kitchen were renowned, and that in her youth, between the World Wars and all through the Great Depression, she was rightly regarded as the most beautiful girl in the North End. Our grief is palpable, but Jean's enduring lessons of courage and strength, particularly in the dour face of adversity, inspire and drive us to beat on. The problem isn't that they don't make them like Jean anymore the problem is that they only made one. The family thanks all of the angels who guided and supported us, and who made these last few months bearable: the staff on the fifth floor of Seven Oaks General Hospital, CancerCare Manitoba, Dr. Bruce Martin, and our close-as-family friends who allied with us in this fight: Meredith, Tela, and Lucyna. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that an anonymous donation be made to Hospice & Palliative Care Manitoba.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 18, 2015