After facing disease, hunger and war, Jakob and his mother immigrated to Canada in 1948, sponsored by relatives in Manitoba. Realizing Jakob had little interest in farming, his mother moved them to Vineland, Ont., for job prospects. He was her devoted caregiver until her death in 1967. Jakob and Katie followed their daughters to Grantham MB in the 1970s. Jakob’s faith was important to him. He taught his children, by example, that they could read their Bible any time of the day. Jakob worked 34 years at Kelsey Hayes. After retiring in 1992, he helped Katie look after his 3 oldest granddaughters. Through dementia, he remained loving, gentle and good-natured. Jakob told his nurses they couldn’t check his heart because he’d given it Katie.
