Obituaries

Eliane Jonckers

Mrs. Eliane Eugenie Jonckers (Vanvari, Khammes)


1941 - 2021

The family will receive family and friends at:

2159 ST-MARTIN EST, LAVAL

Tuesday, October 5, 2021 from 5pm to 9pm

The funeral will take place:

Tuesday, October 5, 2021 at 7:30pm

Eliane, daughter of Mary Ruys Jonckers and Joseph Jonckers and the youngest of their four children, was born in Belgium during the Second World War.   
During the war, Eliane lived through many experiences that she would carry with her throughout her life, helping to shape her into the strong woman she would become in the future.
Eliane immigrated to Canada in 1956 at the age of 15 to be with her sister Marie Therese in Montreal. Eliane was deeply revered and loved by all her work colleagues, friends and neighbours. She managed to overcome many adversities and obstacles and always made her way forward regardless of the challenges she faced.  She worked alongside and for many fascinating people, working closely with the President of the Bank of Montreal when she was just only 18 years old. She also worked in the parliament buildings in Ottawa for Mr. Pierre Trudeau before and during his time as Prime Minister.
In 1966, Eliane married Srichand Vanvari, and they had two sons born in 1968 and in 1969 in Ottawa, Canada. She and her family moved to the United States to work for the Dean of Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. Eliane would also live in Boston with her husband and children during the mid-1970s. After returning from the United States, Eliane would finish her working career at the Institute Armand Frappier UQAM in Laval, Quebec.
In her retirement, Eliane remarried Abed Khammes, moved to Italy, and spent some time in Algeria. Eliane returned to Canada in 2012, deciding to reside at a ranch house just outside of Toronto with her youngest son. She would eventually move back to Montreal to be close to her friends, eldest son and other family members.
Eliane loved to meet new people and experience new cultures and ways of life. She lived in and travelled to many countries, including Canada, United States, Belgium, France, India, Morocco, Algeria, Italy, Spain and Portugal.
Eliane was a kind soul who loved all people regardless of race, age, background or financial standing. She was generous and caring and would find peace and happiness in the simplest pleasures of life. She found contentment in feeding animals, listening to birds sing or even just watching the majestic trees sway in the wind.
Eliane was a hard worker, a devoted mother, and a loving and patient wife. Eliane sacrificed luxuries in life to provide whatever extras she possibly could for her children.
During her life and in the last years of her life, Eliane struggled with many medical issues, undergoing over 40 surgeries stemming from health problems dating all the way back to her childhood in Belgium during the war. In her last 7 years, my cousin and our family’s angel on earth, Maryse Dufour, looked out for and cared for her. She would also be under the excellent care of the wonderful doctors and staff at Residence Angelica, where she would live out her final years.
I will miss you, my mama. You did a great job, and you were the best example of what a human should and can be. I am truly blessed to have you as my mother, and I will carry that blessing always and ever.
Eliane leaves behind her two sons, daughter-in-law, beloved young grandson Joseph Gerard, niece,  grand-niece Maryse, lifelong friend Kitza and many more who love and adore her.
Anyone wishing to send flowers or write a note or message for Eliane, please see Eliane’s memorial page at Memoria.ca and search for Eliane Eugenie Jonckers, Eliane Vanvari, or Eliane Khammes.

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