Obituary of John Van Kampen

John Baptist van Kampen

January 10, 1936 – June 30, 2023

John passed away peacefully at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital (STEGH) on June 30, 2023. He was 87 years old.

He was the loving husband of Martina, proud father of Janice (Gabriel Attallah), Andrea (Scott McPherson), Kevin (Barb Edmond) and Daniel (Renee Van Kampen).

John was also the proud grandfather of Owen, Caleb, Connor, Jared, Simon, Dillon, Leah, Diannah, Katherine and Nicholas.

John was the last of his generation. Born in 1936 during the Great Depression, he survived Nazi oppression in the Netherlands during World War II.  He immigrated to Canada in 1957 from Spierdijk, Netherlands.  He had a passion for farming and wanted to take this passion and build a life in Canada. By April 1965, he married Martina van den Bosch.  They purchased a farm in Dutton, Ontario the following year. Being a new Canadian, the building of a farming career in Canada came with challenges he hadn’t anticipated.  He also worked at the highway service centres in Dutton to help pursue his farming passion.  The friendships he made at the former Shell and Petro-Canada were strong and long-lasting.

John was a man of faith and attended St. Helen’s Roman Catholic Church for nearly 50 years. He continued his faith journey with fellow parishioners at St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church in St. Thomas until most recently. He has reached the Heavenly Kingdom and seen his Lord and Saviour, Jesus.

A celebration of life takes place Friday, July 7, 2023 at 11:00 am at St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Church in St Thomas. A private family interment of ashes will take place later that day.  Arrangements entrusted to the Shawn Jackson Funeral Home 31 Elgin Street, St. Thomas (519-631-0570).  Personal condolences to the family can be made at www.sjfh.ca

Thank you to the staff at STEGH who provided nursing care for him in his final weeks of life.