Louis Arnold de Roy Van Zuydewyn

November 15, 1923 - June 9, 2019
Louis Arnold de Roy van Zuydewyn passed away on June 9th, 2019 at his home in Nanaimo BC. Louis was born in Holland to Charles and Gerarhardine de Roy van Zuydewyn on November 15, 1928. Louis and Rita, his first wife, migrated to Canada in the mid 1950's by steamship. The long journey was made with their first three children.
They lived in Likely BC for a short time, he working as a Labourer in a mill before moving to Vancouver Island in 1962. The family now with 5 children settled in Lake Cowichan where their first home was purchased. Until retirement in 1958, Louis worked as a millwright at the Youbou Mill. Three more children were born at Lake Cowichan where the family enjoyed a home on the lake. Rita passed away in March of 1986. He was also predeceased by his four brothers: Joop(John), Rob, Eddy, Charles, sister, Carla and grand daughter Christina.
He was a loving, supportive and caring father who helped out his children whenever he could. He is survived by all eight: Charlie (Mary), Peter, Marion, Mitchell Lilianna, Paul, Patty and Jeff (Becky), 13 grandchildren and 11 great grand children.
Louis remarried in 1988 to Kathleen O'Callahan. They resided in the same house for a short time as they were building a home together in Duncan. They left for retirement on the mainland. They lived for a little over a decade in Abbortsford and Summerland. There they enjoyed gardening, travel, and wonderful weather.. They returned to the island 16 years later. Kathleen passed away in 2012.
He was a walking miracle having survived many medical issues of the heart. Louis loved life even with all of these set backs. He was a very talented and creative person and was able to build incredible bird houses without a diagram or directions. He loved to feed the birds and donated many of his birdhouses to raise money for a variety of charities.
Louis was sports minded, he played badminton and soccer competitively in his youth and in his older years enjoyed a game of golf. His was also a big Vancouver Canucks fan. Gambling at the casino was another favourite past time of his. He was lucky to the end.
God saw that Louis was tried and ready to come home. God welcomed Louis with open arms.
Louis' Celebration of Life will take place at 500 Bowen Park, Nanaimo (lower picnic shelter) on Sunday, August 25th at 10:30 am - 1:30 pm. The family requests donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation in lieu of flowers.