John Boneschansker

John Boneschansker passed away peacefully, with family by his side, at Seaforth Hospital on Tuesday, May 26 in his 92nd year.

 

The beloved wife of the late Carol for 67 years, John was the loving dad of Bill (Susan) Boneschansker, Dorothy (Bob) Cummings, Annette (Brian) Benson, Cathy (Brad) Clarke, Bruce (Shelley) Boneschansker and Robert (MaryAnne) Boneschansker
He was the loving grandpa of 10 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. He will be missed by many nieces, nephews and cousins. 

 

John was the brother of Gus (Rita) Van Buren, and Steven (Ina) Boneschansker, and Hilda Dykstra and the brother-in-law of Kor (Antje) Meijer of Holland, and Jean Boneschansker.

 

He was predeceased by brother Bob Boneschansker, brother-in-law Ralph Dykstra and Dirk Meijer.

 

John immigrated with his family from Holland on July 29, 1949. At 15 years old he started as a vegetable farmer in the Holland Marsh. While at church, he caught the eye of a young Carol Meijer and they were married on Oct. 28 of 1954 during Hurricane Hazel. They honeymooned in Holland, then came home and settled in the Newmarket area, where they started a family. 

 

While on Scugog Island, John worked at GM in Oshawa, while operating a small mixed farm and having four more kids with Carol. With all the kids in tow, they picked up and moved to the Ethel area in 1968 to start a dairy farm then switched to vegetable farming before retiring.

 

John was active in the Brussels Lions Club, the Brussels Agricultural Society and was a 4-H leader. John enjoyed going to church and had been a member of Melville Presbyterian Church since 1968. He was the taxi driver for all the kids, running them to different sports and hobbies. In 2022, after losing the love of his life, John bought his 1988 Chrysler LeBaron convertible in red and drove it all over the place.

 

John was very social and had an unique sense of humour that will be missed by all his friends.

 

Visitation will take place on Monday, June 1 from 10-11 a.m. at Melville Presbyterian Church with a funeral service to follow at 11 a.m. with Rev. Doug Sargent officiating.

 

Interment at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Ethel.

 

In lieu of flowers and as expressions of sympathy, donations to Melville Presbyterian Church or Seaforth Community Hospital would be appreciated.

 

Donations may be sent to Box 340, Brussels, N0G 1H0.

 

Condolences may be left at riversidefuneralhome.ca