Jack John Klaassen

Jack John Klaassen of Haven Hill Farm on the Ormond Rd., Winchester passed away at home on Wed., Jan. 9, 2008, following a lengthy and courageous battle with pulmonary fibrosis and cancer. He was in the company of family and friends, and we wish to thank the people, both professional and personal, who assisted both him and his family at this difficult time.
He was born in Amsterdam, Holland on Nov. 20, 1950 to the late Hilda and the late Arie Klaassen. He married Marie Claire (Kelly) in Kenmore in 1976 and bravely took on the task of stepfather to five children.
He will be lovingly remembered by his wife Kelly and his stepchildren: Skye (Douglas Crump), Sharon, Gordon (Natalie Myers), Leslie (Rich Kirk), and Tracey (Wayne Latimer); 10 grandchildren, mother-in-law Régine Marsh, and dearest friends: Karl and Edie Dronshek, Phil Doyle, and the Stewart family of Metcalfe. He is also missed and remembered by his four sisters Emmy (Terry Mcadam), Suzanne (Barry Ross), Elsie (Jack Baldwin), and Yvonne (Al Harris), and his brother Peter (Louise).
Over the course of 35 years, Jack, Kelly, and the kids exhibited and trained American Saddlebreds, Saddle ponies, Road Horses, Hackney ponies, and most recently Jack and Kelly continued on with Standardbred racehorses. He also found time to serve as vice chairperson of the Light Horse Show with the Ottawa Winter Fair Committee, as well as the Capital Agrifest Charity Horse Show (1993), and was a founding member of the Ottawa Saddlebred Futurity in the 1970s. His day job was as an electrician for the City of Ottawa, but his heart was in his family, horses, dogs, and close friends. Most of all, his family and friends will miss the hours of laughter that he gave them with his keen sense of humour, and the dedication that he brought to every endeavor that he undertook.
A memorial service will be held on Sat., Jan. 19 at 2 pm at the Daniels Funeral Chapels on Main Street in Winchester.