Johannes Sjoerd PELSMA passed away on June 22, 2013 in Hazelton BC. John was born April 19, 1922 in Balk Friesland (Netherlands). He was married on August 22, 1946 to Engelien Effing and in 1949 moved to Canada. They made their home in South Hazelton raising eight children. John had many jobs he worked in a small privately owned sawmill and for the railroad for a time, he drove a lumber truck transporting lumber from the mill and loading boxcars. He also was a faller and after a knee injury became a watchman in Houston. He became an outstanding kiln dryer operator at the South Hazelton sawmills where he worked until and after retirement; however he was always a farmer at heart.
John will be missed by his children Sjoerd (Elizabeth) Pelsma, Pieteke (Norm) Pelsma, Johnny (Sharon) Pelsma, Anna (Al) Franczak, Willy (Sandra) Pelsma, Christina (Jim) MacMahon-Pelsma, Marian (Mike) Pelsma, numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren, as well as his sister-in-law Weika Pelsma, brother-in-law Willem Zijlstra and families from the Netherlands.
Pre-deceased by his wife Engelien in 2006, son Gerrit Pelsma (1987), granddaughter Chris Leary (1997), brothers Wiebren and Peter and younger sister Marie Zijlstra.
On July 13 a celebration of life was held in New Hazelton for John Pelsma.