Geeraert, Van John

VAN JOHN GEERAERT
1955-2011
Van was a very special, dynamic man; his time has touched many people around the world with his pure sense of strength and honor, he never backed away from a problem always facing them head on and always seeing them through to the end.
Yes he was little rough around the edges, but true and sincere in all the deeds he did. As a friend you could always count on him stand by you through thick or thin

His free spirit carried him around the world he worked in Mouse Port Louisiana as a commercial diver, in Papua New Guinea building homes for CUSO, as a wrangler in Australia, a carpenter in Port of Spain, Trinidad and way too many projects to count throughout British Columbia.

His love was building specialty homes. Van didn’t like building (as he would always say) “square box houses, they’ve got to have some damn character”

He was born in Calgary Alberta and raised along the rivers and valleys around Terrace,
Climbing mountains, canoeing the wild rivers, and always exploring around the next corner.

He will be sorrowfully missed by his wife Dianne, children Jesse, August, Karter, Lenora, Theron, Tricia, Russell, Shannon, mother Lenora, father August , brother Graham (Charlotte), sisters Carol (Keith), Ora, Shireen (Roy), Cindy (Trevor), nieces, nephews, two great nieces, one great nephew, and all his friends from around the world. Van was predeceased by his brother Ross and his sister Claire.

“Up here the north wind blows and warmed his soul
The jagged cliffs and the rising streams
Stirred his heart and filled him with wandering dreams”

We must remember that
“All those that wander are not lost”

A Celebration of Van’s Life will be held on Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 2:00 PM
From the Chapel of Thompson Funeral Service Ltd. 613 Ward Street
Nelson, BC.