Cassidy James Janzen

Cassidy was born April 14th 1996. He was always cozy, cuddly and a very happy baby. He was soon spoiled and adored by his aunties Deanna, Lesha and Alana, and became greatly attached to them in his early childhood.

God knew Cassidy needed a special kind of Daddy and brought Clinton into their world. In August 1998 Cassidy and his Mama became Janzens, and a family was formed. His first of three baby sisters, Hannah, joined the little family in August, 1999 and Cassidy couldn't be happier.

Cassidy was always full of big bright ideas like his mother, which his daddy didn't always approve of. Great Grandpa Coulter made Cassidy a teenie sleigh which Hannah sat in as a baby. The sleigh was sturdy and heavy which got Cassidy tired quickly at such a young age. Hannah was soon upside down in the horse pen where Cassidy had tied the sleigh to his Shetland pony.

As Trinity came along Cassidy was ready for a brother, but a sister would definitely do. She kept up to her brother but soon learned to question Cassidys big bright ideas. One spring afternoon Trinity pranced around the farm yard in her long lovely dress. Cassidy found a long, deep ditch full of water and promised Trinity she would have the grandest time trying out his brilliant new styrofoam raft with him. She took her time to assess the raft and her beautiful dress, all the while Cassidy never stopped promising she'd stay dry. No sooner had she dared to step onto the raft, then into the air the other end went. Wetter than an otters pocket Trinity stayed mad for several hours.

When his third baby sister Talia was born Cassidy cried and cried and just couldn't understand why dad who thought baby girls were nice to cuddle, always got his prayers answered while Cassidys were not answered for a baby brother. Cassidy soon learned to love, protect and adore Talia, just as he had his sisters before, and she was never left behind.

When his baby brother Jesse was born, Cassidy admired him, holding him gently in his arms then earnestly looked his daddy in the eye and asked, “How do we really know this one is a boy?”

Cassidy was always the leader of the pack, even when his older step brother and step sister Mitchell and Alicia came to visit, they chased pigs, built forts and ramps, built bikes, played games of any kind, found kittens, snuck snacks and played music. Excitement and adventure were always close companions of Cassidy. Cassidy greatly admired his siblings and always included them in all of his projects or work. He always did have a special knack with children because of growing up so close to his siblings.

Cassidy loved music from a very young age. He always sang through a hard task or chore. When he was 4, his Grandpa Braun bought him his first guitar. When Cassidys, Papa Janzens shake from Parkinsons disease grew to strong to play his Banjo, Cassidy was gifted Papas instrument and was encouraged to learn to play it. Papa often sat Cass down to listen to the progress and when Cassidy said he couldnt catch on, Papa courageously demanded that he WILL in fact keep trying. Papas great wisdom was indeed fulfilled and Cassidy enjoyed the banjo thourally. As he grew Cassidy took many years of lessons in piano, voice, banjo and guitar. He took in music camps and competitions and won many awards. Most of all Cassidy loved to sing in churches, care homes, festivals and events with his siblings and Papa Janzen. Even as an adult, in the work place Cassidy was often inspiring others with a song. Like his Grandpa Braun, music was an expression of Cassidys heart. He would find songs that spoke the feelings he wasn't able to put into words, and share them with us.

Cassidy had a servants heart. He cleaned, mowed around the community, he carried groceries and climbed ladders for the elderly. He volunteered at DVBS. Cass helped his Grandpa Braun strap semi loads. Cass hungChristmas lights and ran errands, helped with housework and dishes. Cassidy was his Dads eager sidekick. He maintenanced his mother in laws lawnmower, helped his neighbours and always lent his last dollar..

Cassidy loved cooking and baking and far exceeded his Economics class, making fritters, onion rings, pancakes with homemade syrup. He was forever calling home for recipes and soon became quite a connoisseur of food, cooking for his family, with all the pictures to prove it.

Cassidy obtained a high school work experience credit at Home Hardware. Loving community and conversations, this was a good fit. He later got a job in the hardware department. In his teen years he ran his own lawn mowing business and he also worked in the bush one winter swinging a chainsaw full steam ahead, with a frost bitten nose.

Cassidy valued family more than anything. Then in 2011 tragedy hit and Cassidy lost three of his grandparents in a short four years. Drastically changing the extended family's dynamics, and the Godly supports Cass once knew. This left Cassidy with a broken heart that never repaired, thus began a search to soothe his soul and find rest for a wandering heart.

Out to Alberta in 2014 to “live the dream” but Cassidy soon came home again to raise his son Darius, who was born January, 19, 2015. During this time he chose to go to UCN College of the North in pursuit of his welding ticket.

Cassidy continued his heart - searching for healing at Adult and Teen Challenge in 2016. He, together with his family, received some wonderful counsel. Here Cassidy was the happiest he'd been since his Papa died in 2011. Cassidy flourished using his God given talent and love for music to tour with the TC group. Having the opportunity to minister and do the Lords work serving people, learning the word of God and understanding Gods great big love for him, was a time of great growth for Cassidy. Cassidy really wanted to team up to do the Lords work through Adult and Teen challenge but raising Darius was important to him and so he came back to Swan River and worked construction.

In 2018, Cassidy moved back out to Alberta to obtain his construction ticket and meet his Kin. He soon met Ariana and her sons Chase and Ronan. Ariana and Cassidy were engaged at Christmas in 2020 and Declan was born to them January 22, 2021. Cassidy was a child at heart and loved to play with his boys. He loved to take them on long bike rides and swim in the river. He loved to spoil them with fun outings. He loved to buy them toys and dirt bikes. Cassidy wanted his sons to have good memories doing fun things with their dad.

Cassidy established his own business, CJ Construction. Working around the clock, reading blueprints for Universities and condos, building fences, tiling bathrooms and kitchens, building sound rooms and doing basement renos. Enclosed trailers or dump trailers in tow, his variety of work was as broad as the area he worked in.

Cassidy was a passionate athlete. He started snowboarding at a young age, and flew down the hill with ease. Always shovelling a ramp for his bike and learning all the dangerous stunts. As he grew he started hunting and paint balling. Cass loved extreme sports, dirt biking and stock car racing with his dad. As an adult Cassidy was passionate about power lifting, body building and arm wrestling. Cassidy was at home in the gym and was passionate about helping others achieve their goals. Cassidy was constantly pushing himself to achieve greatness.

Although it wasn't observable in his daily life, Cassidy's heart always wandered back to things of the Lord and his Godly heritage. This was evidenced through conversations with his parent. He was never able to fully turn away from his God, who loves him, and even on rare occasions found himself attending a little community church. Cassidys beautiful story ended tragically, but by the mercy of God did he come around full circle. Having had hard conversations, dynamic prayers in humility and powerful victories. Cassidys battle to soothe his soul and find rest for wandering heart ends with a great and ever lasting hope

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Cassidy James Janzen, please visit our floral store.