It is with great sadness that the family of Barendina “Jean” Pohl (nee VandenBrink), announce her passing on Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at home, in Grande Prairie, AB, surrounded by family, at the age of 81 years.

Jean was born into a large family of 14 children in Enschede, Holland, right at the start of WWII. She was raised in a strong, Dutch Reformed faith. Their home was located just west of the German border, and they endured food shortages and bombings in the first few years of her life.

In the early 1950’s, her family immigrated to Central Alberta. She left home at the tender age of 15 to start building her future, sending money home to her parents in her early 20’s. She began training, and her nursing education through PTS in Red Deer, and completed her LPN certification in Holland. Jean’s interest in caring for others was reflected throughout her whole life in a very practical way; either through the hospital, or in lending a hand for those in need. She didn’t do the work for you, but taught you how to do it yourself, and walked alongside of you.

Jean was respected in all aspects of the Chetwynd community, including the church, the school, and the large native community around her. She and Robert, her husband, also shared their home with many foster children, and in 1990, were awarded the BC Lieutenant Governor’s Foster Families award for Outstanding Contribution.

She was outgoing, a leader, the first to a party or to plan it, hospitable, adventurous (bordering on daring), and supportive. If she was told she couldn’t do something, she set out to prove you wrong. At one time, she quit her nursing job to prove women could work in the sawmill and was the first woman hired at the Chetwynd CFI Mill, to work the green chain. She excelled at that job, moved up in the ranks, and was very proud of it! She also took up motorbike riding at around age 40 and spent many hours on the highway back and forth to work.

Jean loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, in a fun and involved way; playing games, special toys, special candies, Easter egg hunts (in Family Feud style), and her quick wit left them coming back for more. She never backed away from a barter or banter. She was objective, she played the Devil’s advocate, and people often came to her for sound advice.

She spent 13 years of retirement with Robert in Lake Cowichan, BC, renewing old friendships and enjoying many adventures in their motorhome, exploring Vancouver Island.

They took up kayaking, riding scooters, swimming, and built a new church community. They were eventually convinced to move back to the frozen north 3½ years ago, their holiday was over! Their family missed them too much! They spent their time here building a loving relationship with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The little ones loved coming to see Gigi and Big Papa.

Her family was able to palliate her care at home, as her body grew weary of forty plus years of diabetes. Her faith and her patience remained constant throughout those two and a half months, until the Lord peacefully called her home. Her family was able to whisper her away with words of love and endearment as she silently passed, praise God!

Jean will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 57 years, Robert; children: Yvonne (Brian) McAllister, Bernice (Robin) Shoemaker, Bob (Wendy) Pohl, and James (Leanne) Pohl; grandchildren: Alyssa (Brad), Amelia (Jeremy), Nathan (Zion), Laura (Damian), Noah, Adrian, Matthew (Callie), Sarah (Ryan), Mitchell (Brooke), Cory (Tiffany), Andrea, Bruce, Jamie, Jacob, Rachel, Michael, Connor and Reighan; great-grandchildren: Jael, Anna, Emily, Liam, Walter, Robert, Bennett, Zipporah, Luthian, Yael, Dietrich, Phinehas, Patrick, Jaxxon, Hazel, Brixton, Porter, Waylon, Sawyer, Emerson and Greyson; she will also be fondly remembered and dearly missed by her sisters: Femmie tenHove, Anne (Dan) Pohl, Cobi (Hank) Visser, Marijke (John) Gough, and Johanna (Alex) Wiersma; brothers Casey (Evelyn) VandenBrink and Ben (Denise) VandenBrink; sisters in-law: Kay Truus, Tex and Leany VandenBrink, Carol Hanson; and many, many, many nieces and nephews; Jean was also treasured by Robert’s large family of 17 siblings; their spouses; and numerous nieces and nephews. She built lifelong friendships with them all and made the Pohl family as important as her own.

She was predeceased by her brothers: Tony, Jake, Max, George, and Dirk VandenBrink.

The family would like to give a huge thank you for the wonderful care provided by the Grande Prairie Home Care team, the nursing staff, and Doctor Angela Barreth for their outstanding support throughout the Palliative process. The family learned daily from each of you, which gave them confidence to take care of their mother. The family appreciates each person who brightened their days and thank you for building a relationship with Jean.

An Interment was held Monday, January 18, 2021, at the Grande Prairie City Cemetery.