In Celebration of

FRANK (FRANCIS) JOHN GEELEN

September 21, 1940 -  April 1, 2024

Frank Geelen passed away in Etobicoke in the early hours of April 1, 2024 at the age of 83.

Adored Father of Kathleen and Lisa (Brian); loving grandfather of Anna, Cole and Thomas. Dear brother of Tina, John (Marie), Gary, Mary (Ken), and Everet (Lorraine). Frank will be missed by many nieces, nephews, neighbours and friends including his former wife Mildred (Millie). Frank was predeceased by his parents, Jacob and Elise, and his sisters, Christine, Theresa, Anna, and Nell.

Frank was born in Velden, Limburg, Netherlands, on September 21, 1940. The agricultural values of hard work, perseverance, and responsibility that were instilled early in him remained central to his career, character and relationships throughout his life.

Residing in Etobicoke and then Mississauga, Frank combined his rural background with computer systems as a Business Analyst for the largest farm supply and marketing co-op in Ontario. He enjoyed family trips to Florida, fishing at the cottage, gardening and fixing or building any project that he found a challenge. In his retirement he moved to Brights Grove, Ontario and inspired by his grandchildren, Frank become a lunch supervisor at St. Michael elementary school. He took great pride in the relationships he had with the children by telling jokes and being a friend.

Frank loved his family dearly; after months of diminishing health, he passed peacefully with both daughters at his side. We will cherish the love, laughter, and memories forever. As our dad would want, we will never resist telling a joke to make someone smile, because that is how he moved through the world, making others feel connected with a silly grin and raised eyebrow. Given his inability to resist telling a joke, no matter how dry or ironic, the fact that he passed on April Fool’s Day is not lost to us.

Family and friends are invited to Turner & Porter - Peel Chapel, 2180 Hurontario, Mississauga on Saturday, April 6, 2024 from 2:00 until time of Funeral Service in the Chapel at 3 p.m, reception directly to follow at 4p.m.

Donations may be made to I Challenge Diabetes. Please use the Donation tab on top right of page to make a donation.

Guestbook 

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Natasha Milijasevic and Paul Pellizzari (Friend of Lisa and Brian)

Entered April 2, 2024 from Toronto

Dear Lisa, Brian, Anna and Thomas --

We are so sorry for the loss of your beloved father and grandfather.

May his memory be a blessing.

With love
Natasha, Paul, Felixe and Julian

Rose Nemec (Friend of Kathleen)

Entered April 2, 2024 from Toronto

I am really sorry to hear the passing of your dad, Kathleen. Thinking of you and your family at this time.

Steven & Debbie Hicken (Good friend)

Entered April 2, 2024 from Brights Grove Ontario

Dear Kathleen , Mario , Cole and entire family this is so very sad . We loved Frank , he was always smiling and had a great sense of humour . I will miss my talks with him in the culdesac .
He was a very caring grandfather to Cole and was always there when needed .
Sending our loving and caring thoughts to you all
Rip our good friend Frank
Deb & Steve

Margaret and Don Real (Friends of John and Marie)

Entered April 2, 2024 from Warkworth

Our condolences to the family

Ulku and Joe Leunissen (Family)

Entered April 2, 2024 from London

Love going out to Millie, Kathleen, Lisa and their immediate families.
May your minds be at ease knowing the positive effects Frank had on all the lives he touched.(Brother, Husband, Father, Grandfather)
Frank was supportive of his sister Christine when she worked in Mississauga.
For that I will always be grateful.
I am told his smile was similar to his sister Chris. Both giving to others before themselves.
R.I.P. Uncle Frank, you lived a good life, raised two beautiful family oriented women and your teachings will be seen for decades to come in the lives of your grandchildren.
A true success stor

Love

Ulku and Joe Leunissen




Life Stories 

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Kathleen Geelen (Daughter)

Entered April 10, 2024

Kathleen's Eulogy for her Dad

Lisa wanted to speak first today, (no surprise) like my dad Lisa is a talker! Growing up, it was hard to get a word in edgewise at the dinner table or in the car. Thankfully I eventually came out of my quiet shell, but I promise this tribute won’t be too lengthy.

Lisa and Dad also shared their love and dependence on coffee. Before the days you could drive through and get a coffee on every corner, on our car trips to Florida my Dad had coffee maker that he plugged into the car lighter. He didn’t go too far without a coffee in his hand. My son Cole and my Dad spent a lot of time at the local Tim Hortons. When Cole was very young, Dad would give Cole water in the same paper cup that coffee came in, so Cole felt like he was sharing coffee with Grandpa. Dad always treated his grandchildren and the children he supervised at school with respect, never talking down to them, but instead building them up.

Dad also had a unique sense of humour. At my 6am hockey practice he once explained to me ‘you know, when people find out I have two girls, their typical response is – well at least you won’t have to be driving them to hockey at 5:00am on Saturday morning”. Rolling my eyes, I thought to myself, that’s just his smart-allicky way of saying this is way too early for a Saturday.

Once I started driving my dad made sure that he (and we) were always prepared for whatever might come our way. As a result, there was an emergency kit in the trunk and full tanks in everyone’s cars when the snow might hit. I was provided a cell phone to keep under my drivers seat, for emergencies only, it was as big as a Kleenex box, and a lot heavier. He also made sure that I knew how to fish, to break a worm in half or quarters with my bare hands, and thread the worm through the hook, (not wrap, definitely “don’t wrap” as it will simply fall off). Dad taught me how to cast, catch and reel in a great fish. But moreover, I learned about the peace that I could find simply sitting in a boat on the water. Fishing sometimes was just an excuse to sit out on the water for hours on end.

As many of you know my dad inherited a talent for gardening from his parents. He worked tirelessly in the gardens that served as a perfect backdrop for my wedding photo’s at our home on Credit Heights. Dad was also handy and could repair any TV, small appliance, light, bike, pond, lawn mower and much more. As a kid I considered myself his protégé, and followed him around as he worked these projects. I remember feeling very accomplished when “we” winterized a cabin at our cottage, installing electrical, plumbing, insulation, drywall, flooring, all fixtures, and cabinetry. Dad always made me feel that ‘we did that together’, however given that I was 11 or 12, I likely helped by handing him tools keeping him company while he worked. Today a sign still hangs in his garage that says. ‘Grandpa’s Workshop -Broken toys fixed here’.

Dad loved being a grandparent to my son Cole and Lisa’s children Anna and Thomas and they shared common traits with him.
My son Cole, never shed a tear over a broken toy, because he would simply say ‘that’s okay Grandpa can fix it’. His grandpa’s influence was never more apparent when a 9 year old Cole said to me: “Broken things can be fixed and fixed things can be broken”. (at the time I knew he just wasn’t speaking about toys) Cole loves to work with his hands just as grandpa did.

Like my dad, Cole also see’s the humanity in the world. Cole has an open mind and diverse group of friends, yes even living in a small town. I remember when I was really young and just learned about World War II in school. I came home confused and said to my dad “So the German’s invaded Holland and while you were on the farm there” , “yes” he said, to that I asked then how can you be friends with our next door neighbors – The Wessingers – they are German? He explained that what happened in war was not representative of all German people. (I was really young – living in Rexdale) When my dad, went to Cole’s school to talk about World War II for Remembrance Day, he focused on the humanity and the kindness that he experienced by German soldiers that had come to stay at their home. My cousin Dennis will be speaking later about the Geelen family experiences during this time and as immigrants to Canada. You will also be hearing from Jim Wessinger, the son of one of my dad’s closets friends. The message of humanity in war has stayed with me, especially in light of recent events in the Ukraine and the Middle East, that troubled my dad dearly.

Cole also inherited his Grandpa’s ability to remember and desire to share all the details of things that interested him. For those of you who visited Dad, you know he liked to follow and discuss in detail current events in the news or how to fix things. If any of you are interested in electric guitars, the NFL, or Formula 1 racing you should speak to Cole at the reception.

Thomas, Lisa’s son, inherited his grandpa’s ability to take any issue and create an entertaining debate about it. Thomas has an inherit interest in historical events and very strong political convictions from an early age and loved to debate topics with his grandpa. He also enjoyed conversations about everyday life with grandpa, especially when he could get some time alone with him, typically during their visits, or when eating at the golf course.

Anna, Lisa’s daughter enjoyed Dad’s sense of humour, which was lot of dry advice repeated in a tongue and cheek manner. Anna is an accomplished horseback rider. Each week she rides, and she told me that one of the things she will miss most about not having Grandpa here is the predicable phone call to Grandpa as she drove up to riding lesson. The comments would always include the same advice, “Now don’t fall off the horse” or “Make sure that horse doesn’t step on your foot”. A friend who lost his father far too early in life told me “They are never really gone; they just don’t answer the phone anymore”.

When the grandkids were younger, and Lisa and I both had busy lives, dad felt the need to constantly keep us updated about each other’s kids. Lisa once told me, “all Dad talks about is Cole” and I laughed and told her “all I hear about is Thomas and Anna” when I speak to dad. We realized that Dad wanted to keep our families close by talking about our children to each other since we lived in different cities.
We will miss our dad and grandpa. Dad was my rock, he always supported my education, career, and life choices, I am so much braver and resilient because of him and how he believed in me.

Godspeed Dad – I love you.

Dennis Geelen (Nephew)

Entered April 10, 2024

On November 4, 1938 in a church in Holland, Arnoldus Jabocus (Jacob) Geelen and Elisa Hubertina (Elizabeth) Thiesen were married in a humble double wedding. Could they even have imagined what the next 86 years would bring?

Their beginnings were humble as well, spending the first several years living on Jacobs’s Mother’s farm in Velden.

Now when I say humble, I mean humble.

The main building had a house and a barn under the same roof. There was no indoor plumbing, no phone, no radio, and no Facebook. Can you imagine?

It was out of these humble beginnings that something extraordinary was formed. A family.

First came Chris, born in in 1939. Followed by Frank in 1940. Then Tina in 42, Theresa in 43, and Nelly in 44. And that was just the first half.
To make it an even 10, this was followed up with John in 1946, Anna in 47, Gary in 49, Mary in 1950 and finally baby Everet in 1952.

10 kids. Can you imagine?

As if having 10 children to care for wasn’t enough, those years also saw Holland right in the middle of World War 2 from 1939 to 1945.

I had the pleasure of visiting Frank a few times over the past few months in the hospital and he shared some memories from those war times.
As the war moved West and Holland was invaded by the Germans, the family would often hear planes and bombs overhead at night. This prompted Jacob to build a bomb shelter attached to the basement of the house. It was in that very bomb shelter where Nelly was born in 1944.

Frank shared with me a vivid memory of a discovery they made one day. Returning to the house after spending the night in the bomb shelter. Jacob (my Grandpa) found a grenade laying in his mother’s wardrobe. Apparently, it had gone through the roof at some point through the dark of night and settled nicely, right there in her bedroom.

Can you imagine?

Luckily, the grenade hadn’t gone off, but to be safe, Jacob carefully picked it up and very gently carried out into the field, far away from the house, where it could be safely detonated.

Frank also reminisced about interacting with the German soldiers directly. At some point during the war, a few of these German soldiers showed up at the Geelen farm looking for a place to stay. They were offered some quarters and proceeded to move in. Can you imagine? The enemy living right there in your house with you!

But Frank remembered them as being quite friendly and nice to interact with.

One memory that stood out for him specifically was when some other German soldiers had orders to go around and collect livestock from the various farms in the area. The soldiers that were living in the house gave Jacob the heads up that this was happening. Together they dug a hole, placed a live pig in it and then covered it with brush. When the soldiers came to collect the livestock, they found no pigs in the barn and luckily never discovered the pig hiding in the hole nearby.

Can you imagine how nervous you would be hoping to not get caught? What would have happened if they discovered you were hiding a pig?

Can you imagine?

By 1948, with the war now over for a few years, some people in Holland started to leave for Canada. Among them were Harry and Truus Hendricks (Truus was Elizabeth’s sister) followed by Jake and Mien Thiesen (Jake was Elizabeth’s brother).

The Geelen family was now starting to be separated with a few of Elizabeth’s siblings in Canada. But Jacob and Elizabeth decided they needed to stay in Holland for the time being to take care of Jacob’s mother (Christina).

But in 1951, Christina passed away and the wheels were set in motion for Jacob and Elizabeth to follow the other family members. So, on May 7, 1952 all 12 of the Geelens (Jacob, Elizabeth, and all 10 kids) along with Aunt Agnes boarded the Waterman ship in Rotterdam and headed…. for Canada.

What incredible boldness and courage it must have taken, after already going through a world war, to pick up your family and head to a completely unknown country.

I can’t even imagine what that would be like.

They arrived in Quebec on May 16 (imagine, 9 days on a ship at sea) and eventually settled in Thamesville, Ontario.

That first year, the gang of 12 lived with Uncle Henry and Aunt Helen in a farm house south east of Ridgetown, which I’m told DID have indoor plumbing.

Finally! Thank goodness!

Jacob and Henry shared farming duties and the kids were enrolled in a local one room school for grades one to eight. Not one of the kids could speak, read, or write a word of English.

Can you imagine?

After struggling in the first year, in a new country, learning a new language, and a new way of life, the kids soon started to thrive.

After moving to a different place on Highgate Middle Road in March of 1953, the kids started attending Cleaves, another one room school house for grades 1 to 8. It was there that they encountered a phenomenal teacher, Mrs. Gillard, who encouraged the kids to speak as much English as they could, especially at home. This not only helped the kids learn the language, but Jacob and Elizabeth as well. By the time they left that school 4 years later, Elizabeth was reading the local newspaper and Jacob gave a thank you speech to the community…both in English.

The family moved several times. In 1957 to a 100-acre farm in Fletcher. In 1958 to Harold Cambell Farm. Then in 1961, into the first farm that Jacob and Elizabeth purchased on their own. This one in Duart, south of Highgate.

As you can see, there was a lot of moving and a lot of farming throughout those years. In fact, every summer, anyone in the family that was 8 years or older, would be working 8:00am to 5:00pm every day on the farm.

Frank said he could remember laying awake at night staring at the stars praying it would rain the next day so they wouldn’t have to work.

It was tough. It was work. It was a lot of moving. But they were a family.

With all the farming background, it was only natural that Frank would go on to enrol in Ridgetown Agricultural College in the fall of 1959, graduating in 1961 with honors.

Over the next 10 years, each of the siblings continued to move on, starting their own families. By 1971, with Jacob’s health starting to decline somewhat, they sold the farm and moved into a bungalow in Ridgetown, Everett being the only kid to move there with them.

I have many fond memories of that house. From all the incredible windmills on the lawn hand built by Jacob (my Grandpa Geelen). Of the smell of Elizabeth (my Grandma Geelen’s) incredible chicken soup cooking in a pot on the stove.

Unfortunately, Jacob passed away in November of 1981 after living many years with health concerns. But the family continued to gather at that house in Ridgetown.

I can remember making the trip a few times a year, first from our family home in Uxbridge and later from our home in Little Britain. Where the highlight would always be to visit with my cousins who could come from all around to gather at Grandma’s house.

But on May 27, 1998, Grandma passed on as well.

From those humble beginnings, after 10 kids, a world war, so many moves, including to a whole new country, learning a whole new language, you don’t have to imagine. An extraordinary family, with extraordinary character, and some extraordinary experiences were formed.

Today, many members of the Geelen family remain close. With Frank’s passing, only 5 of the 10 siblings remain. But the tradition of family gatherings lives on.

In a new tradition, initiated by Nelly over 15 years ago, every summer, many Geelens can be found gathering for a week together at Gull Lake where the next generation of cousins have continued to forge deep relationships.

Families scattered across Ontario, still come together to connect, to remember, to enjoy each other’s company, and to build new memories.

Almost 90 years after they married in that humble double wedding in Holland.

Can you imagine?


Lisa Geelen (Daughter)

Entered April 10, 2024

Francis Geelen Funeral Service Greeting

On behalf of our family, I wanted to thank everyone for coming today to help us say Goodbye to dad. Looking around the room seeing all the people here today …...i know he would be smiling.

Those of you who knew my dad know Dad LOVED to visit. I knew this even as a young girl. Every time I had to go to a store with dad (which was usually Canadian Tire) I knew it would take forever… he would chat with everyone…the person in the isle, the people in the check-out and of course a joke or two for the cashier. And… after over 40 years nothing has changed. The last time I went to the grocery store together he knew every cashier by name, and they all knew Frank.

In December of this year my dad’s health became more complicated. He made the decision to leave his home in Brights Grove and to move to a retirement home in Etobicoke closer to me, my mom and Kathleen. During home’s intake process he final question they asked dad was “Frank what are you hobbies” he pause for a moment and said without doubt “you know I just really like to chat… you know visit with people”. He was spot on.

The day I brought Dad to his new retirement home we arrived at 6pm. Supper time. We were greeted warmly, the coordinator told Dad she had organized for him to sit at a table a few residents that are looking forward to meeting him but if he’d prefer, they’d happily set a table so dad could eat with me. With that my dad left me standing at the door (did not even look back at me), made his way to the table and introduced himself to his new table mates.

As I left that evening one of his new friends say to me “don’t worry about your Dad, we got this we’ll help acclimatize him” and that they did!

About a month later, I said I would take him to the other retirement homes so he could be sure this was the right place before we moved in his furniture. Dad’s response was “I have thought about this for a while and don’t bother showing me the other places. You guys did good picking this place, no place will be perfect the other places might be better in some way, some things might be worse, it really doesn’t matter. The only thing that really matters to me is the people. Here everyone is nice and friendly, everyone knows your name, we visit every mealtime, it is like being with family. People are the most important thing … So, Lisa, don’t bother, I really like the people here they make this place perfect for me.”
To everyone here today, thank you again for coming. My family are having a hard time saying goodbye but having you all here makes it perfect for us.
Following this service there will be a reception down the hall with some refreshments, I know my dad would love it if you joined us for a bit my dad’s favorite hobby….. visiting.

Photos 

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