Obituary of Adrian Gary Van Giessen

After a journey with cancer, Adrian passed away at the Freeport Campus of Grand River Hospital on Saturday, November 12, 2016 at the age of 57.Beloved husband of Barb (nee Kok); loving father of Tony and Emily Van Giessen (nee Vanderheide), Ellen Van Giessen, and Eric Van Giessen; proud grandfather of Calvin; dear son of Henk Van Giessen; and cherished brother of Janet Groenewegen (Pete) and Annie Vanderleek (Gord). Adrian is lovingly remembered by members of the Kok family and his many nieces and nephews.Predeceased by his mother, Jane Van Giessen and an infant brother. Adrian spent most of his life serving as the lead pastor at congregations in Penticton (B.C.), Acton, Ajax, and Kitchener. He had a fervent passion for people, for grace, and for connecting the people in his life with Jesus. Nothing brought him more joy than quietly fishing in a simple boat on a quiet lake before the world woke up. He loved to golf, to relax in his lazy-boy with a bag of chips and a cold beer, and to share meals with his family. Adrian always had his next travel destination planned and was eager to explore the world with his wife and his children whenever he could convince them to join in. His family and close friends will remember him fondly for his quick wit, his undying sense of humour (especially in the form of dad-jokes), and his oft-unseen but well-developed goofy side. Adrian was an accidental and intentional coach and mentor to many people and was well known and loved for his honest, piercing wisdom, and positioning himself as a good-natured contrarian in his many roles. Inspiring and impacting people with the news of the love and grace of Jesus brought him life, and he continuously sought out and cultivated the potential in those around him. He dreamed big and invited others into his vision, daring them to trust God’s calling in their life and to engage in good work to bring about the Kingdom. Relatives and friends are invited to share memories of Adrian during memorial visitation at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo on Thursday, November 17, 2016 from 6-9 p.m. The memorial service to celebrate Adrian’s life and faith will be held at Community Christian Reformed Church, 1275 Bleams Rd., Kitchener on Friday, November 18, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. A reception will immediately follow the service at the church. A private family interment will be held at a later date. Condolences for the family and memorial donations, in lieu of flowers, to the Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support or New Direction Ministries may be arranged by contacting the funeral home at www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445. “God is crazy about you!”