Eulogy for Zain Krikau

Zain Krikau was born on October 7, 1940 in Rosthern, SK to William and Thelma Krikau.  The second of two children he was greeted by his sister, Olive.  At a young age, Zain’s family moved to Vancouver and then in 1950 to Silverdale.

In Silverdale, Zain attended the one room school known as Silver Hill Elementary while his dad established the Lougheed Chevron station. 

Working at his dad’s garage station gave Zain an early interest in mechanics and automobiles.   This turned out to be a blessing and a curse as Zain was notoriously hard on vehicles… especially his brother-in-law, Larry’s, car.

His passion for driving lead him to help form the Mission Road Ramblers Car Club followed by the Chauffer’s Custom Car Club.

However, it wasn’t until he was 22 that he found himself in the Mission bowling alley, staring at a beautiful young woman named Donna.  Ensuring that Donna knew his love for sports, he took Donna to a BC Lions game at Empire Stadium where in the pandemonium of a dramatic Lion’s touchdown, Donna hit Zain and knocked his glasses off his face.  The two made up and did so in amazing fashion, getting married a couple years later on May 15, 1965.

14 months later, Janet was born, followed a couple years later by Vince.

Throughout Zain’s early days of marriage, his grandfather, Philip (who was a mayor in another town) inspired Zain to serve as a community leader.  He joined the Kinsmen Club, served on the School Board, then on City Council, lead youth at Zion Christian Fellowship, and played on a number of sports teams.

In 1980, Zain jumped on the AMSoil track and his van served to be an icon in Mission.  There was something about seeing that van that made you feel like you lived in a good community with good people.  That feeling came from the person Zain was and all that he represented.

In 1993, he started a new job as a part-time bus driver that turned into 23 years of driving our kids to and from school.  He loved his bus kids deeply, making it easy for them to reciprocate that love.

Zain also loved to fish, canoe, golf, 4x4, and watch the Canucks and Lions.  He was always helping others, whether it was helping people move with his van or plowing neighbour’s and doctor’s driveways when it snowed.  If there was snow, he would get home, eat dinner and then disappear till well after midnight, plowing other’s driveways.

The most significant moment in his life, however, wasn’t related to any career or hobby choice, but was the day he gave his life to the Lord in November 1977.  For six years, Donna had prayed for him and even hosted a Bible study where Zain heard more about Jesus and His Church.  It wasn’t until a near-death experience, where the bulldozer he was driving rolled over and nearly crushed him, that he gave his life to the Lord.  Zain believed that Jesus saved him that day from death, physically and spiritually, and from that day forward his life was forever changed.

His life with Jesus made everything different, especially in the area of his perspective and perseverance with his personal health.  In 1994, Zain’s health became an issue and he had to have a pacemaker installed.  That same day, one of his grandsons, Nathanial was born and so Zain nicknamed him ‘Pacer’.  In 2003, he went through open-heart surgery, followed by diabetes that lead to dialysis.

His health condition didn’t deter him from what he loved to do.  He continued to go for coffee with his buddies, spend summer days on Barnie’s raft, go fishing, worship with his Church family, and serve others.

On September 20, 2011 at 6:30am, Zain left our presence and entered His Saviour’s.

His life and legacy lives on through his wife, Donna, daughter Janet (Louie) Williams, and son Vince Krikau; grandsons Tyrel & Nathaniel Williams and Joshua Krikau; grand daughters Brittany & Meghan Krikau; step-grand daughters Carmen Hay and Haley Strom; sister Olive (Larry) Kieler.

Zain, we love you and miss you!