In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar

 

John Charles (Jack) Lange

 

UNTD

 

Sub-Lieutenant (E), RCN(R)

 

Born: 08 Feb 1936, St. Boniface, Manitoba

 

Died: 06 Oct 2023

 

LANGE, John Charles (Jack) - On October 6, 2023, at the age of 87, Jack passed away suddenly in his care home.

 

Jack was born February 8, 1936 in what was then the city of St. Boniface (now Winnipeg) the son of Fred and Signe Lange, and one of five children, Audrey, Louise, June and Lynda, all raised in the family house on Melbourne Avenue, East Kildonan.

 

Jack is predeceased by his wife Allie and survived by his two sons, John (Sandra) and Eric (Meaghan), grandchildren, Jonathan, Stephanie (Matt), Knox, and Farrah, and two great-grandchildren, Landon and Lawson.

 

Jack loved to tell stories about his youth at the family farm in the area of Zhoda, Manitoba, as well as his time in the Royal Canadian Navy. His time in the Navy helped fund his education at the University of Manitoba where he graduated as a Mechanical Engineer. During his long career as an engineering consultant, Jack was a gifted inventor who licensed many of his designs and was the holder of several patents. In 1984 he was awarded the "Premier's Award for Design Excellence".

 

From their home on Old Mill Road where they resided for 47 years, Jack and Allie hosted the Lange family Christmas where Jack was always coming up with ways to make the event memorable. Most famously, during Christmas dinner each year he would leap fully onto the table dressed as Super Santa complete with a cape, red long underwear and a sack full of gag gifts. He would tip-toe down the length of the dinner table between the plates and glasses and he never spilled a single drop of wine! Standing at the head of the table he would distribute the gifts by throwing them across the table to each of the guests.

 

Then, when the proceedings were concluded everyone around the table would shout in unison: 

IT'S A BIRD! IT'S A PLANE!

IT'S SUPER SANTA!

And he would fly off into the night...

(The Winnipeg Free Press 23 Oct 2023)

 


 

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