Pieter Marsman

1939 - 2014

Pieter went to meet his Lord early in the morning of February 19, 2014 at the age on 74. He was much loved by his family, friends and church community for the gentle, caring and erudite person he was. Predeceased by his father, Jan Marsman, and his mother, Geesje Marsman (nee Vanderkamp), he is survived by his sisters Wilma Willems and Trees Strijker and by his wife of 47 years, Heather (nee Davidson); his daughter, Talitha Castillo, and husband Billy with children Kaia and Mateo; son, Uriah Marsman, and partner Sam with children Gracie, Liam, Taylor, Rowan, and Emerald; daughter, Dorothy Chien, and husband Andy with children Simon and Ruby; son, Ian Marsman and wife Wendy with children Janneke, Lewis, Sheldon, Sarah and Esther. Pieter grew up in Zwolle, The Netherlands, and after surviving tuberculosis caught as a child during the WW II immigrated to Vancouver, Canada with his family in 1957 at the age of eighteen. He went off to college in Michigan two years later where he developed bronchiectasis. Through a series of operations in Michigan and later in Vancouver he lost his left lung and kidney. After recovery, he attended the University of British Columbia where he obtained a B.A. in both French and English literature. He went on to post graduate studies in French at Laval University in Quebec City, Quebec. The summer after this Pieter worked at Expo '67 in Montreal and met Heather Davidson. After their marriage and a further year of study at Carlton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Pieter taught French for three years at Calvin College in Michigan and a year teaching French at Woodbridge Christian High School in Ontario. He then worked for two years as an immigration officer at Pearson International Airport before finding his true calling teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). For 21 years, Pieter taught ESL for all three branches of the Canadian military, first at CFB Borden in Ontario, then at CFB Esquimalt and at CFB Comox in British Columbia. After he was downsized at age 55, Pieter taught ESL at the University of Victoria for eight years calling it, "the best job I ever had". Pieter took part in M2/W2 prison ministry and served on the education committee of Pacific Christian School.

Pieter will be remembered for his love of his Lord and of his family including his church family, and for his humble, caring and gentle nature. He was an example of charity and integrity to all who knew him. We will all miss him terribly. The Marsman family wishes to thank the staff of the cardiac and internal medicine units of the Royal Jubilee Hospital, the Island Health Quick Response Team, and the Hospice Home Care team for their excellent care and compassion and many friends for all the loving support they've extended.

A funeral service to honour and bid farewell to Pieter will take place February 25, 2014 at 1 p.m. in the Victoria Christian Reformed Church, 661 Agnes Street, Victoria. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Victoria Hospice & Palliative Care Foundation (http://www.victoriahospice.org) that allowed Pieter to die without pain in his own bedroom at home.