Diane (Berendina Antonia) Jansen (nee Verkerk) passed away peacefully at Wellington Terrace on June 23, 2023 in her 90th year.
Diane was born March 4, 1933, in Didam, Holland.
As a young girl, she survived the deprivations of the Second World War and at just 22 years of age, this gutsy, pretty woman left her parents and homeland behind and in 1955, boarded a ship alone to cross the ocean to join her fiancé in Toronto.
She married Louis Jansen shortly after her arrival in Canada and in 1960 they started to build their family. In 1969, they would move to Guelph, where, along with other family members, they opened Chatelaine Lighting and built it into the success it is today.
Diane loved her work and meeting with people and creating her own lamps from items that were sentimental to her customers. Well into her 80‘s Diane could be found in her office at Chatelaine, eager to talk to visitors and to help customers choose their lighting.
Diane is survived by her children, Rosemarie Kingdon, Angela Smith (John) and Paul Jansen.
Her grandchildren were the light of her life, and she will be sadly missed by Sean and Ailish Kingdon, Katie Ryder (Mat Ryder), Rachael Smith and Meaghan Smith (Ashlar Young Evans).
Diane was predeceased by her husband Louis in 1985 and her eldest son Gary in 2018.
Diane is also survived by her sisters, Cato Wynbergen in Keswick, Lies Geurds in Holland and her brother Theo Verkerk in South Africa and her sisters-in-law, Maria Colaizzi (Dominic) (also her business partner), Fran Jansen and brother-in-law, John Jansen as well as many nieces and nephews.
Special thanks to Dr. John Stickney and the staff at the Wellington Terrace in Fergus for their warm care of Diane in her final years.
Arrangements entrusted to Gilbert MacIntyre & Son Funeral Home, 1099 Gordon St, Guelph. Visitation will take place on Friday June 30, 2023 from 10:30-11:00 a.m. A funeral mass will immediately follow at 11:00 a.m. at Gilbert MacIntyre and Son Funeral Home (Hart Chapel) in Guelph. Reception to follow. A private family interment to take place at a later date.
Anyone who knew Diane knew of her great love of dogs and all animals in general and that she lovingly opened her home and provided devoted care to many adopted dogs. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Guelph Humane Society or the animal charity of one’s choice.