JANTZI, Kristine Faye
October 3, 1966 – April 22, 2023
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Kristine Faye Jantzi at age 56 on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at Grand River Hospital due to complications from kidney failure. Kristine courageously fought her way through three kidney transplants, having a rare kidney disease most of her life. Her strong determination and will to live helped her achieve remarkable goals in spite of her health challenges.
Kristine is survived by her parents, Darrell and Florence Jantzi, a brother Brian and sister-in-law Susanne Frame, a sister Jennifer, and former husband and best friend, Ted Shapiro.
She graduated from Rockway Mennonite Collegiate then, after her transplant, finished her BA in English and French Literature, and an MA in English Literature at U of W (with one year of study in France). She was in her PhD program at McGill where she had just been awarded a 3-year fellowship. This all came to a halt when her transplanted kidney of ten years failed eight months into marriage and two years into a PhD program. Kristine had another transplant in 2006, lived in Maine and Washington, DC before moving to Kitchener in November, 2017 when her third transplanted kidney failed. Kristine has always loved nature, enjoyed flower gardens, sitting on a porch or by a river to read poetry or a good book, petting her cat and shopping at fine art boutiques.
Cremation has taken place. Visitation was held on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. at Floradale Mennonite Church, 22 Florapine Rd., Floradale, with a celebration of life service that took place at 2:30 p.m. The service was livestreamed and can be accessed on Kristine’s tribute page of the Dreisinger Funeral Home website. A reception followed in the fellowship hall of the church. A family burial will be held at a later date.
Thank you to Grand River Hospital, especially the Dialysis Unit, for the care and compassion shown to Kristine. In lieu of flowers, donations to Grand River Hospital Foundation – Dialysis Unit or Rockway Mennonite Collegiate Tuition Assistance would be appreciated, and may be made through the funeral home.
