VERSLUYS, CORNELIS JOHANNES WILLEM “CORNIE” PASSED AWAY DECEMBER 19, 1996 AT VULCAN, ALBERTA AT THE AGE OF 86 YEARS.
CORNIE WAS BORN SEPTEMBER 4, 1910 AT MONARCH, ALBERTA. HE ATTENDED SCHOOL AT BARONS AND WORKED OUT AS A FARM HAND. HE MARRIED OLIVE RHEA HIGGINS IN MAY OF 1932. THEY MOVED BY COVERED WAGON NORTH TO FALUN, ALBERTA, TWENTY-SIX MILES WEST OF WETASKIWIN. THERE THEY CLEARED THE LAND, DID ODD JOBS AND BUILT A CABIN WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN 1934. THEY STARTED A FAMILY, RAISED LIVESTOCK AND WORKED THE LAND. FINALLY, CORNIE TOOK A JOB AS A WEED INSPECTOR, UNTIL ENLISTING IN THE ARMY IN 1941. HE SERVED IN ENGLAND, SCOTLAND AND SICILY. CORNIE WAS INJURED IN 1944 AND WAS RETURNED TO EDMONTON FOR SURGERY. WHILE THERE THE WAR ENDED AND HE WAS HONOURABLY DISCHARGED. CORNIE REUNITED WITH HIS FAMILY WHO WERE LIVING IN CALGARY AND THEY MOVED TO THE HIGGINS FARM IN CHAMPION, WHICH BECAME HOME FOR MANY YEARS. OLIVE RHEA PASSED AWAY IN 1964. IN 1972 HE MARRIED OLIVE MAE, AND THEY CONTINUED TO RESIDE ON THE FARM AND LATER MOVED TO VULCAN. THEY ENJOYED MANY WINTERS IN INDIO, CALIFORNIA. OLIVE MAE PASSED AWAY IN 1992 AND CORNIE HAS CONTINUED TO RESIDE IN VULCAN UNTIL HIS PASSING.
CORNIE WAS INVOLVED WITH HIS COMMUNITY INCLUDING TO HELP A GROUP OF VETERANS WITH SETTING UP OF THE FIRST ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BRANCH IN CHAMPION. IN THE EARLY 50’S HE WAS SENIOR SERGEANT FOR THE CHAMPION PLATOON OF THE CALGARY HIGHLANDERS. LATER HE BECAME A DELEGATE FOR THE ALBERTA WHEAT POOL AND SERVED FOURTEEN YEARS. HE JOINED THE MASONIC LODGE #84 AF & AM AND SERVED A TERM AS GRAND MASTER.
DURING THE MID FIFTY’S HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF UNIFARM AND LATER DIRECTOR FOR DISTRICT I2. CORNIE CONTINUED AND WAS ELECTED EXECUTIVE MEMBER TO THE BOARD OF UNIFARM.
LOVING FATHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS LAQUEEDA (JANUS) NORTON OF ARROWWOOD AND FRANCES (GARY) BANKS OF CALGARY, TWO SONS DON (PEGGY) VERSLUYS OF CHAMPION AND DALE (THERESA) VERSLUYS OF KELOWNA, THIRTEEN GRANDCHILDREN, TWENTY GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, A BROTHER ARIE “PETE” (CONNIE) VERSLUYS OF CHAMPION, A SISTER TRUDY (DOUG) TURNER OF TORONTO, AND NUMEROUS NIECES AND NEPHEWS.
CORNIE WAS PREDECEASED BY WIFE OLIVE RHEA IN 1964, WIFE OLIVE MAE IN 1992, A SISTER JOHANNA BONER AND HIS PARENTS.
FUNERAL SERVICE MONDAY DECEMBER 23, 1996 AT 1:30 P.M. AT CHAMPION UNITED CHURCH WITH REV. DON WATT AND LIEUTENANT JOHN ROFFEL OFFICIATING.
INTERMENT CHAMPION CEMETERY.
HONOUR GUARD; MEMBERS OF THE CHAMPION ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION.
HONORARY BEARERS; HARRY GORDON, KORNEY VATH, ELMO FONTANA, HOWARD HAGG, JACK MUZA, EARL HELLAND AND MEL COWIE.
CASKET BEARERS; GORDON CARLSON, BYRON DORTON, ROGER SMITH, WARREN BANKS, GRANT WOLFE AND PETER VERSLUYS.
IF FRIENDS SO DESIRE, TRIBUTES IN CORNIE’S MEMORY COULD BE MADE TO EITHER THE SALVATION ARMY, 1302-4 AVE. SOUTH, LETHBRIDGE, ALBERTA TlJ 0R4 OR THE CHAMPION CEMETERY MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATION, BOX 214, CHAMPION, T0L 0R0.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME, DIRECTORS.