Obituary for Daniel William Doerksen
We are saddened to announce the death of Daniel William Doerksen, loving husband, father, and grandfather.
Dan was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba—the son of Johann and Justina (Reimer) Doerksen, who immigrated to Canada from the Soviet Union in 1925. He earned a B.A. from United College (now the University of Winnipeg), a B.Ed. from University of Manitoba, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in English from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. In 1968, he joined the faculty of the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, where he taught Renaissance poetry and prose and the Bible as literature. He has published three books on the 17th century English poets Spenser, Herbert, Donne, and Milton. He retired from UNB in 1997 and remained as an active Honorary Research Professor, publishing his last research article in 2018.
Dan married Nan (Nettie) Enns in 1959. They were happily married for more than 61 years and raised three sons.
He is mourned by his beloved wife, Nan; sons Daniel of Vancouver, BC, Alan (married to Junko) of St. Catharines, ON, and Robert (married to Yu-Chu) of Oxford, MS, USA; grandchildren Rosalie and Edmund; sister Mary (married to Peter) Dyck and brother Berny (married to Lois), all of Edmonton, AB; sister-in-law Marg (widow of Victor) of Kelowna, BC; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his infant siblings Peter and Helen, by his parents, and later by his brothers Henry, John, Jake, and Victor, and sister Jessie Reimer.
Dan was a man of strong Christian faith and, together with Nan, was an active member of Brunswick Street United Baptist Church in Fredericton for decades, and later of Willingdon Church (Mennonite Brethren) in Burnaby, BC. Dan and Nan built close friendships with many people over the years, including with international students, showing them warm hospitality at their home. Dan was famous, or infamous, for his love of puns, correct grammar, and photography. His family also has many fond memories of traveling with him, including driving trips across North America and through Europe.
Our thanks to the staff of the Fellburn Care Centre in Burnaby, BC for their care of Dan in 2019 and of the Madison Care Centre in Coquitlam, BC for their care of Dan and Nan since October 2019.
Dan’s funeral at Willingdon Church will be followed by a graveside ceremony at Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver on Monday, August 24.
Dan was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba—the son of Johann and Justina (Reimer) Doerksen, who immigrated to Canada from the Soviet Union in 1925. He earned a B.A. from United College (now the University of Winnipeg), a B.Ed. from University of Manitoba, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in English from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. In 1968, he joined the faculty of the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, where he taught Renaissance poetry and prose and the Bible as literature. He has published three books on the 17th century English poets Spenser, Herbert, Donne, and Milton. He retired from UNB in 1997 and remained as an active Honorary Research Professor, publishing his last research article in 2018.
Dan married Nan (Nettie) Enns in 1959. They were happily married for more than 61 years and raised three sons.
He is mourned by his beloved wife, Nan; sons Daniel of Vancouver, BC, Alan (married to Junko) of St. Catharines, ON, and Robert (married to Yu-Chu) of Oxford, MS, USA; grandchildren Rosalie and Edmund; sister Mary (married to Peter) Dyck and brother Berny (married to Lois), all of Edmonton, AB; sister-in-law Marg (widow of Victor) of Kelowna, BC; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his infant siblings Peter and Helen, by his parents, and later by his brothers Henry, John, Jake, and Victor, and sister Jessie Reimer.
Dan was a man of strong Christian faith and, together with Nan, was an active member of Brunswick Street United Baptist Church in Fredericton for decades, and later of Willingdon Church (Mennonite Brethren) in Burnaby, BC. Dan and Nan built close friendships with many people over the years, including with international students, showing them warm hospitality at their home. Dan was famous, or infamous, for his love of puns, correct grammar, and photography. His family also has many fond memories of traveling with him, including driving trips across North America and through Europe.
Our thanks to the staff of the Fellburn Care Centre in Burnaby, BC for their care of Dan in 2019 and of the Madison Care Centre in Coquitlam, BC for their care of Dan and Nan since October 2019.
Dan’s funeral at Willingdon Church will be followed by a graveside ceremony at Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver on Monday, August 24.