Jan TeBraak

Obituary of Jan Dirk TeBraak

TeBraak, Jan Dirk - Passed away on August 11, 2015 in Grimsby, Ontario. A brother, a husband, a father, grandfather, great grandfather and an extraordinary friend. He was born in Zwolle, The Netherlands on the 26th of December, 1925. He moved to the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) when he was 3 years old. During WW II he became a prisoner of the Japanese and had to endure 3 1/2 years in their concentration camps. In 1951 he immigrated to Canada where he worked his way up to become chief draftsman for Ontario Hydro. He started and ran, the Southern Ontario Branch of the 'August 15, 1945' Foundation as their Commissioner. He brought together many other survivors of the concentration camps in Indonesia during the Japanese occupation of WW II. He also authored a book 'Jan' a memoire. Jan will be missed by Sonja's daughters Chloe Baravalle and Monique Malczuk, her sons Cyrus David and Dylan Armbrust and all that knew him as 'Mr. Terrific.' He is survived by his wife Sonja and her family, his sister Betsy Rhee TeBraak and her family, his brother Joop TeBraak and his family, his son Albert TeBraak and his family, his son Frank TeBraak and his family all who will miss his optimism and love for them. The funeral will be private.
A Memorial Tree was planted for Jan
We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ the staff at Vineland Chapel