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Obituary of Jean Arlene Wideman
Obituary of Jean Wideman
Wideman, Jean Arlene (nee Rae) August 4, 1934 – September 3, 2023.
With sadness we announce the passing of Jean on Sunday evening surrounded by family in Niagara. Pre-deceased by her loving husband Glen Wideman of 62 years. Loving mother to Jim (Kim) Wideman, Glenda (Wayne) Kerr, Mary Ann (Richard) Yeomans, Larry Wideman (deceased 1962), Bonnie (Donald) Lofthouse, Velvet Brownlee (deceased 2012) Michael (Deborah) Brownlee, Heather (Paul) Robertson, Lee (Karen) Wideman, Alexa (Jay) Fretz. Cherished Grandmother to 19 Grandchildren and 19 Great-Grandchildren. Daughter of the late Warren and Mabel Rae.
Jean is survived by her brother Harry (Janice) Rae, sister-in-law to Dale Rae, and many nieces and nephews. Predeceased by Garnet (Pauline) Rae, Reta (Douwe) de Boer and Ivan Rae. Harold (Dorothy) Wideman, Earl (Grace) Wideman
Jean spent her early years teaching in a one room school house, and once becoming a mother, stayed home to raise her children. She was very involved in her church community at Heise Hill BIC Church with choir singing, ladies ministry, missions committee and many years as Sunday school teacher.
Jean’s heart was very committed to supporting the cause of spreading the gospel message of Jesus through Missions work. Although her life was busy with children at home, she regularly helped the Missions Committee at church with fundraising events, special presentations highlighting the BIC missionaries and writing letters to missionaries all around the world. Once all her children were grown and away from home, she was able to travel to meet some of the many missionaries she had been communicating with over the years including a trip to London, England to see the work of Jay Smith. Other trips included Haiti, New Mexico, Venezuela, and local support for Toronto street mission work.
As a family, summers included a week at Camp Meeting at NCC and time at Camp Kahquah kid’s camps and family camping. Many of her children worked at Kahquah as staff during summers, and Jean spent summers there as well on staff too! It was a hard decision for Jean when her health did not allow for her to attend Kahquah a few years ago. But Jean was so proud to know that many of her grandchildren still spend their summer working at Camp Kahquah and now some great-grandchildren have begun attending the kid’s camp.
Jean’s love for her family and others was limitless, she will be greatly missed.
VISITATION: Friday September 8th from 2-4 & 7-9 pm at the DIXON-GARLAND FUNERAL HOME 166 Main St. N. (Markham Road) Markham.
INTERMENT: Saturday September 9th at 11am at HEISE HILL Cemetery (11760 Woodbine Avenue Gormley).
FUNERAL SERVICE: Saturday September 9th at 1:30pm at EASTRIDGE Evangelical Missionary Church (12485 Tenth Line, Stouffville).
DONATIONS: In lieu of flowers, donations made to Camp Kahquah
(1230A Nipissing Road South, Magnetawan, ON P0A 1P0 - 705-387-3923 – campkahquah.com)
