Obituary of Jack Brouwer

BROUWER, Jack We mourn the passing and celebrate the life of Jack Brouwer, who was reunited with his Lord on Thursday February 17, 2011 at the age of 88. Jack was born on August 16, 1922 in Vlaardingen in the Netherlands. He reached young adulthood during the German occupation, and was active in the Dutch resistance. Following the liberation of Holland by Canadian forces, he worked for several years as a journalist before marrying his sweetheart Lenie (nee Vogel) in 1948 and together immigrating to Canada in 1953. Jack's passion was his family, and his church. One of the founders of the Grace Christian Reformed Church in Scarborough, Jack and Lenie were both active leaders in their church, and in the broader Dutch Canadian community. In his early years in Canada Jack's hobby was as a broadcaster of an hour long Dutch language radio program, "Holland Calling". After a 2 decade career as a financial executive, Jack turned his broadcasting hobby into his next career, spending the next 20 years as the Canadian representative for Radio Netherlands, distributing news and recording radio programs catering to the Dutch-Canadian community that were played on radio stations across Canada. At the same time he and his wife Lenie began a nonprofit service distributing recordings of Dutch language church services to hundreds of Dutch immigrants across Canada, a service they ran together for many years. But perhaps his most-loved radio endeavour was Zingend Geloven (Singing Faith), a Dutch language Christian radio program that combined spoken word with religious music, sponsored by his good friend Anne De Boer. For his many contributions to his native country, church and the Dutch-Canadian community, Jack was Knighted into the Order of the House of Orange-Nassau by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1992. Jack will always be lovingly remembered by Lenie his wife of 63 years, his children Marianne (and John), Rob (and Teresa), John, and Andrew (and Michele); his grandchildren Jessica (and Karen), Robert, Michael, David, Matthew, Samantha and Georgia; his great-grandchild Jacob; his surviving sisters Miep and Gerda (and Wout); and a wide circle of other family and friends. The family will receive friends at the HUMPHREY FUNERAL HOME - A.W. MILES CHAPEL, 1403 Bayview Avenue (south of Davisville Avenue) on Wednesday February 23 from 2-4pm and 7-9pm. A funeral service and a celebration of Jack's life will be held on Thursday February 24 at 1 o'clock in GRACE CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH, 25 Channel Nine Court in Scarborough (McCowan Rd and 401), followed by interment at Pine Hills Cemetery, 625 Birchmount Rd (at St Clair) in Scarborough. Friends and family are invited to Rob and Teresa's home following the interment. If desired donations may be made to the Covenant House, 20 Gerrard Street East, Toronto M5B 2P3. Condolences and memories may be forwarded through www.humphreymiles.com.