Jan Spitz

Jan Spits
1926~2013
Jan Daniel Spits died peacefully on 17 Feb 2013 of natural causes after saying goodbye to his wife and all his family. Jan was born 2 Feb 1926, the second of five children born to Dutch colonials, John Spits and Guiaumine A .J. A. Clavier, in Bandung, Indonesia. He spent his teenage years on the isle of Java during WWII. His siblings were his best friends. As young man, Jan loved jazz music and dancing, and cars. Jan was a go getter and a hard worker. In 1944, he married Jeane Haccou in Malang, Indonesia, during the Japanese occupation of Java. His father John was already in a Japanese prison camp near Malang. Immediately following WWII, the Indonesian Independence revolution ensued, and in 1946, Jan and his family, his mother and adolescent siblings were rounded up by the Sukarno regime, and placed in the Malang prison camp, where he began his career as an electrician in the women's section. They were released and relocated to Djakarta in late 1947. Four children were born to them, Hilly, Richard, Erica, and Walter during 1945-1950. He worked as a superintendent for the Indonesian transportation department from 1947 until 1954 when the family left Java as the political unrest escalated and began the exodus. In late 1954, they cruised to Holland on the "Willem Ruys," (later the "Achille Lauro") from Djakarta through the Suez Canal, the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Biscayne with brief stops in Port Said Egypt, Naples Italy and London England. Never having seen snow or cold, they arrived via Rotterdam in the Hague, Holland, where Jan worked as a military aircraft mechanic. The Pastore-Walter Act of 1958 opened up America for the expatriated Indo-Dutch.In 1960, the family emigrated to the America, and flew to New York on a DC-10 airliner, then took a 3-day train trip from New York to Boise where they were sponsored by the First Baptist Church. Jan was a wonderful provider, and built a new life for his family. In 1962, he built a house in Boise for them. He worked for Preco Automotive Electric and retired in 1989. He was a member of the B.P.O.E. in Boise. Jan was an active gin rummy player in his circle of friends, a great cook and tinkerer in the garage and loved to barbeque and visit yard sales. He was a very generous man, and always had something to give away. He loved his family and friends, and enjoyed having them over. He would find out what you liked and then loved to surprise you with it. He loved and collected clocks, and was very gifted in clock repair. He loved telling stories about his child pranks in Indonesia with his brothers. He loved his dogs, and loved to spoil them. And his love for jazz music and cars was enduring. During his retirement, he often visited his family and friends, brother Wim in Nevada, sister Helma in California and brother Ed in New Jersey. He loved Jack Pot Nevada and loved the LV casinos. He traveled to Holland twice to visit his mother and his sister Paula and her family. He and Jeane vacationed in Hawaii; saw the great parks on the west coast, and historical sites on the east coast. Jan lived his life to its fullest.
He was preceded in death by his parents, siblings Eduard V. Spits and Paula Kraeger, and grandchild Amy Spits. He is survived by his wife Jeane, bro Willem C. Spits, of Florida, and sis Helma Gabriel of California, his children; Hilly (Eugene) Penton, Richard A. Spits, Erica (Danial) Dunn, and Walter J. (Evelyn) Spits of of Boise Idaho, and his loyal dog, Buddy. Grandchildren; Annaliesje Cady, Felicia (Jay Prickett) Penton, Denise (Ken Long) Penton, Ali (Carl) McLean, Tonya (Todd) Cronister, Tieneke (Bill) Barresi, and Nellie (Dan) Bacon, Holly (Oliver) Beyer, and Sarah Spits, and 24 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren. The family would like to thank the wonderful care-givers from The Cottages and Ashley Manor, and St Alphonsus Hospice for making him comfortable in the last weeks of his life. The Funeral will be on Friday 22 Feb 2013 at the Relyea Chapel, 318 N. Latah Street, Boise, 2:00 PM, burial following at the Morris Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers are Danial Dunn, John Ryan Prickett, Israel Shebley, Dan Bacon, Carl McLean, and Jay Prickett. A private family viewing will be held on Thursday 21 Feb 2013 from 6-8 PM at Relyea Funeral Chapel. Services are under the direction of Relyea Funeral Chapel.