Date of Birth: October 15, 1960
Date of Death: January 11, 2024
Roy Niessen, of Melville, passed away on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, at the age of 63 years.
Roy Niessen was born Oct. 15, 1960, to Jacob and Elfriede in Vancouver, B.C. He spent his childhood in Vancouver, tormenting his older sister Lily. He graduated from John Oliver Secondary School in 1978. During high school, his passions were car racing, bowling, and football.
After graduating, Roy pulled out a map and drove out to Saskatchewan, where he started working for a brick layer in the Englefield area. After working through the summer, he started as a helper at the local Saskatchewan Wheat Pool elevator and worked in the grain handling system for the next 36 years. He worked at Englefield, St, Brieux, Kandahar, Mozart, Killaly, Melville, Yorkton and ended his career at the Ituna Viterra location. Through those years, he also sold hail insurance and had connections with many farm families in the surrounding area who became great friends.
Kevin was born in 1980. Roy and Kevin made many trips back and forth to B.C. and also to Weyburn to visit family. Roy had a passion for sports, both playing and watching. He had a silver medal finish in the 1988 Provincial 5-Pin Bowling Championship. He made it to the provincial roll-offs many years, both with the Humboldt and Melville area teams. Roy played fast ball and, after moving to Wynyard, coached the ladies’ fastball team, where he took a liking to one specific player. Roy and Becky were married in October of 1990. They continued to enjoy bowling, playing slow-pitch and golfing together.
In 1993 Sara was born and Matthew followed in 1996. Roy enjoyed planning the family trips to B.C., Minot and California, to name a few. It seemed like wherever he travelled, he always ran into someone he knew.
Roy also enjoyed watching sports. He had a passion for the Vancouver Canucks, Melville Millionaires, B.C. Lions and secretly the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Roy was involved in Melville Minor Hockey, sponsored the Millionaires Hockey Club and billeted many Millionaire hockey players over the years. He always made sure the players had enough to eat.
Roy loved kids. His greatest joy was spending time with his three grandsons, Von, Emmerich, and Hendrix. He could not wait to take them fishing and golfing or just have them at the house or the campsite at the lake. Roy did not limit his love for kids to family; he was known as the candy man at church, he always bought all the camp kids a treat at the canteen and would take anyone who would want fishing with him.
Roy was baptized at Melville Baptist Church in 2002. He served on the church board and had various other positions in the church. His faith was an important part of his life, and he did not fear death. Roy also had a passion for hunting. He learned to hunt with the Killaly crew and went up to McBride Lake for many years hunting elk, moose, and deer. He also liked to hunt around the Melville area, taking Sara and Matthew out with him, as well as many others. Once the meat was cool, he also loved making sausage and experimenting with new recipes. One of his latest passions was spending time at Greenwater Lake. There you would find him working at the golf course, golfing, fishing, camping, or sledding with family and friends.
Roy was predeceased by his father, Jacob Niessen. He will be deeply missed by his wife, Becky; children Kevin (Molly), Sara (Gregg) and Matthew (Taylor); and his grandsons, Von, Emmerich and Hendrix; his mother, Elfriede; sister Lily (Paul); in-laws Henry and Beatrice, Hazel (Dean), Sandra, Kimberly (John); nephews Robert and James; along with many extended family members and friends.
Roy’s funeral service was held on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, at the Melville Baptist Church with Pastor Jon Pettinger officiating. Rebekah Richards, Caroline Richards and Shastyna Chambers provided a medley of hymns, Sandra Wiebe gave a tribute, Hazel Bergen delivered the eulogy and Lynn Richards and Lorie Chambers read scriptures.
Interment will be at a later date.
Arrangements were entrusted to Matthews Funeral Home, Melville.
