With great sadness for our loss, but even greater appreciation for the gift of his life, we share the news that our loving Dad passed away suddenly early Tuesday morning at home in Qualicum Beach, British Columbia.
He leaves behind his life-long best friend and wife Diana Junger, with whom he spent 57 years of marriage and raised a family that was his greatest pride. Theirs was a marriage that got only stronger and closer as the years went by, and included a private renewal of wedding vows in Kona in 2012. It was a joy and a lesson to us kids to watch that relationship grow and to learn from them how to handle the ups and downs of life. Those downs included a terrible affliction of Parkinson's which he managed with strength and dignity, but clearly was robbing him more of life each day. As the vows say, "in sickness and in health", and they cared for each other in exactly that way.
Our Dad was born in Zwiesel, Germany because his mother (our Oma) had to escape the bombings of Munich during World War II, while his father (our Opa) was fighting in the War. They immigrated to Nelson, British Columbia after the war, where he initially faced anti-German discrimination at school but went on to make great friends and memories. He later moved to Edmonton (where he met our Mom), the Bay Area, Calgary and ultimately Qualicum Beach. He worked in California as a draftsman (designing some of the world's first digital watches at an Intel company called Microma) and in Calgary as a finishing carpenter and draftsman / supervisor in the oil and gas industry. Always doing whatever he had to do to support his family, our Dad was the strongest man we ever knew and he turned every hardship he faced into a lesson for us.
He was never more happy than when seeing his kids and grandkids embrace new challenges and grow. We appreciated his love and support. We wanted to make him proud. We are ourselves better parents because of him and our Mom.
Our Dad will be sorely missed, but with us every day. His memory will be carried by us kids Robin (and Lyne) Junger, Sheri (and Dean) Watt and Erika (and Cam) Goodman, our Mom Diana Junger, brother and sister-in-law Bob and Janet Junger, sister Liana Shulver, brother-in-law and sisters-in-law Ron and Shirley Ostapiuk, Joan Ostapiuk and Adele Mortensen, grandchildren Sawyer Junger, Alison Junger, Evan Watt, Sierra Junger, Cat Watt, Cooper Junger, Sydney Goodman and Ellie Goodman and nieces and nephews Larry Ostapiuk, Frank Bleisch, Cindy Bleisch, Kelly Ostapiuk, Kim Ostapiuk, Dana Ostapiuk, Jordan Ostapiuk, Terri Bleisch, Heidi Kerbassi and Brian Junger. Pre-deceased by his parents Annaliese and Johann Junger, his mother-in-law Lena Ostapiuk, and brothers-in-law Ed Ostapiuk and Ken Mortensen, he will continue to live as part of their memories as well.
We welcome family and friends to join a celebration of Dad's life on Thursday September 22, 2022 at 4:00 pm at 1222 Garden Gate Drive, Brentwood Bay, B.C.