Anne Liis Keelmann (Friend of the family)

Entered January 11, 2017 from Thornhill

Meinhard was a kind soul and will be remembered with fondness. Our sincerest condolences to the family.
Anne, Ellen and Kay Tull & families

Tiiu Kajak 

Entered January 13, 2017

Avaldame terve perele kaastunnet.

Meinhard Jaager
Passed away peacefully on January 8, 2017 at Rouge Valley Centenary Hospital in his 93rd year. He is predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Hedvig, in 2014 and son Vello in 1981. He will be forever lovingly remembered by his daughter Elle (Mart) and grandsons Priit, Taavo and Markus (Becki). He was born May 20, 1924 in Narva, Estonia but lost his mother Leena (Tulp) at age 4 and father Aleksander at age 10. He was drafted to fight for the freedom of Estonia against the Russian Communists and survived the war with several injuries. Americans in Germany treated them very well at the end of the war but the ex-soldiers wanted to find work. Meinhard went to work in coal mines in Belgium for 2 years before stowing away on a ship to Sweden. He found work as a stoker on a ship hauling lumber from Sweden to England and coal from England to Sweden. On a furlough in the port of Norrkoping, Sweden, he happened to meet his wife- to-be. When the ship “Jüri” sank off the coast of Goteborg, Sweden, in 1948, he survived and decided to look up Hedvig. They married in 1950. He worked in a textile factory until they emigrated to Canada in 1951 where life began life. They owned and operated a farm in St. Catharines and were long-time vendors at the Market Square with fruit and vegetables. Their vineyards supplied grapes to Welch’s for juice and to Bright’s and Hernder’s for wine. Meinhard also worked as a machinist at Ilves Machine Shop on Gregory Rd. in the early years and then for the St. Lawrence Seaway until retirement. They severed and sold the farm and in 2003 moved to Scarborough. He always had a sense of humour, was loving, patient and kind. He will be fondly remembered by family and friends around the world. Funeral service at York Cemetery Visitation Centre Chapel, 160 Beecroft Rd., Saturday, January 14, 2017, 9:30 am with visitation one hour before. Internment to follow. Memorial donations may be made to the Estonian Foundation directed to the Toronto Estonian School Choir. Condolences may be forwarded to the family through www.etouch.ca.