GILBERT RENE VAN LAEKEN (1925 – 2019)
Peacefully, surrounded by the love of his family on Sunday, December 22, 2019 at Woodingford Lodge in Tillsonburg, Gilbert Rene Van Laeken passed away in his 95th year. He was born in Roselaere, Belgium in 1925, the son of the late Maurice and Yvonne (Opsommere) Van Laeken. He was a retired tobacco and beef farmer just outside of Norwich and then retiring to Tillsonburg. Survived by his wife of 69 years Cecelia (Vuylsteke), his children, Marie (Bob Lester), Brenda Van Quaethem (friend Ben De Cloet)), Yvette (Dave Wheeler) and son Maurice Van Laeken. Also survived by 10 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. Survived by sister-in-law Margaret Van Laeken and two brothers-in-law Roger and Ralph Vuylsteke and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his daughter-in-law Lorraine Van Laeken (1991), two sons-in-law Marcel Vankerrebroeck (1992) and Steve Van Quaethem (2014), brother Walter Van Laeken (2018), and sisters and brother-in-law Michel (1993) and Margaret Pieters (2011), Vivian Vuylsteke (2001) and Paula Vuylsteke (2013). Friends and relatives will be received by Cecelia and her family at Ostrander’s Funeral Home, 43 Bidwell Street, Tillsonburg (519-842-5221) on Friday, December 27, 2019 from 4:00 – 8:00 pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Tillsonburg on Saturday, December 28, 2019 at 10:30 am with Father John Pirt presiding. Interment will take place at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Langton. Memorial donations to Camp Trillium – Rainbow Lake or the Kidney Foundation would be appreciated by the Van Laeken family.
Personal condolences can be made at www.ostrandersfuneralhome.com
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Gilbert Rene Van Laeken Sunday December 22nd 2019..
Death notice for the town of: Tillsonburg, Province: Ontario