JOHNSON (nee UPDIKE), JEAN ELIZABETH
Jean went home to be with her Lord on March 9th, 2008. She is predeceased by her parents Ryburn R. Updike and Mary J. (Wiebe) Updike of Nipawin, SK and also her husband of 56 years, Nickolaus Johnson, on Jan. 03, 2005 of Nanaimo. Jean leaves behind her brothers Rev. Lee (Bev) Updike of Edmonton, AB., Harley Updike of Prince Albert, SK., and Dale (Marilyn) Updike of North Battelford, SK.
Jean is survived by her daughter Christine (James) Yakiwchuk and grandson James Yakiwchuk, Jr., all of Nanaimo and her grandaughter Jennifer (Andreas) Grammenz of Toronto, ON.
Jean was born on her parents homestead near Love, SK in 1930. As a young woman Jean loved the outdoors and excelled in sports. In 1948 Jean married Nickolaus and soon after began her nurses training. In the early 1950’s the young family moved to Prince George, BC., where Jean worked as a nurse at PGRH. Jean and her husband Nick became Salvation Army Soldiers and worked for may years in the Harbour Light Centre there. Later Jean and Nick lived and worked near Takla Lake, BC for 10 years. In the summer they enjoyed hiking, fishing and learning more about nature from the 1st Nations Tribe that lived nearby. In winter they skied and followed, studied and photographed her beloved wolf pack.
In 1989 Jean and Nick retired to Nanaimo to be close to their family. Jean continued her study of nature, God’s handiwork, and hiked many of the trails throughout the Nanaimo area.
These last few years Jean lived with Alzheimers disease in her usual brave and dignified manner. Her family would like to acknowledge some of her nurses, Carol, Liz and Val of Dufferin Place and all her caregivers there for their compassion, kindness and care of Mom until the very end. Thank you so much and God Bless you all.
There will be no funeral service by request. A small family memorial will be held at a later date.
“PROMOTED TO GLORY”