Tribute

Jake left the earth on January 31st.  He died at home as he wished and was “in the moment” right up to his last day.   What a champ.

 He grew up on a 200 acre dairy farm in London, Ontario– the youngest son of Rose Weber and Ernest Lieberherr from Switzerland.  He'll be missed by his surviving older brother, Sam, of St. Thomas, Ontario       

Jake had a love of music trivia which stemmed from listening to radio programs at night on the farm and while riding the tractor.  He loved an unusual book with an eye-popping title as he had a rather inquisitive  mind.  One of the last books he read was “The Hundred Year-Old Man Who Jumped Out The Window And Kept On Going.”
 

Jake played music all his life.  Starting out with his mother's encouragement, he played pedal steel guitar and later, all styles of guitar.  His old Raven classical was still his favourite guitar to play over the years.  He was self-taught and had a beautiful way of playing guitar and will be missed for that.  In later years he took up the mandolin.  His taste in music was eclectic ranging from roots, folk, blues to country, rock 'n roll and jazz.  Occasionally he painted and enjoyed pen and ink cartooning too.  He was somewhat of a showman and liked singing the tunes of the '50's, especially Jerry Lee Lewis
 

He was president of his high school graduation class and to get votes made a splash by riding his motorized scooter into the school.

After graduation he hitchhiked the Route 66 to California because he was interested in the surfing culture.    There he worked in a carwash with people of all nationalities from Portugese to Mexican.  He also worked in a tannery, once applied for a job as
an elephant handler, fried burgers for A&W and worked in a half-way house for
drug rehabilitated youth in Ontario.

Jake worked for 23 years as a Federal Government employee in Victoria, B.C. 
He was a program coordinator dedicated to working with community groups and First Nations people.  Also he was the founder of “Jake and the Snakes” with the “Fabulous Snakettes” – who entertained at government functions.  He will be remembered by his colleagues for his wicked sense of humour and will be missed by many.   

He had many friends, young and old, from all walks of life and touched the lives of a great number of people.    A very generous man, he will be remembered for his big smile, big heart, hearty laugh, radical sense of humour as well as his vulnerability and kindness to others.

 Jake was a single parent most of his life, raising two daughters that he dearly loved Dylan and Sara.  It wasn't easy to do but he did his best with the skills he had.

Dad will be forever missed.  
 

His singing partner and wife, Judy-Ann, will treasure and miss him forever.    They formed a vocal performing duo and entertained often in the Cowichan Valley and for other events.  

For the past ten years Jake travelled in his retirement with Judy-Ann to countries such as Thailand, Jamaica, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Mexico and lately Europe where they went to Italy, Turkey, Greece and France.  They had wondrous adventures in their motor home driving to Nashville and from the west coast to Newfoundland.  

Jake will also be missed by his stepson, Travis,  and his stepdaughter, Melinda (Trevor). “Grandpa Jake” will be missed by his grandchildren Hunter (5), Emily (2) and little Cassidy (5 months).

He will be fondly missed by Lorna Jackson, his other “Mom” from Cranbrook, B.C. as well as other close family and friends from the East Kootenays and Alberta.  
 

 Jake left the earth much as he lived his life- with amazing courage and tenacity.    He was described as “not a cookie-cutter patient” by some doctors because he took an active interest in his own test results and loved to keep the doctors on their toes.  A big thank you to Dr. Willie Jay Pewarchuk of Cowichan Valley for his ongoing care of Jake and to Dr. David Hepburn, of Victoria, who knew Jake for many years.

A memorial service will be held for Jake at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 26th, 2014 at H.W. Wallace Cremation and Burial Centre, 5285 Polkey Road, Duncan, B.C.

 Donations in Jake's name can be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada, Vancouver Office, 1682 W. 7th Avenue, Suite 310, Vancouver, B.C.