Jan died peacefully with his immediate family by his side on January 6, 2024, at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Centre at 80 years of age.
Jan was born in Portsmouth, England in 1943, where his father, Stanislaw, was a spitfire fighter pilot in the Polish and British Air Forces.
He and his family moved to Argentina in 1948, and then back to England in 1953.
In 1957, their family made the big move to Toronto, Canada. In 1961, Jan attended the University of Toronto, graduating in 1964. The following year he entered the Armed Forces. While in the Armed Forces, he studied for his MD and ophthalmology specialty. Then sub-specialized in neuro-ophthalmology, graduating in 1969. He started his career at Sunnybrook Hospital as a neuro-ophthalmologist.
In 1983, Jan moved to Thunder Bay and said it was the best choice he ever made. Here he married his wife Kelli and had two children, Colin and Kate. Jan received his float plane pilot's licence in 1984 and proudly flew 500 hours. After a long, successful medical career, he retired in 2018 at age 75.
Jan wants to thank his "On Deck Gang" for all the fun times, having wings & beer every Tuesday as a standing guys' night.
He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Kelli; children, Colin Czarnecki, and Kate (Colin) Lamers; grandchildren, Rye and Dax Lamers; sister, Marie (Keith) Punnett; nieces, nephews, grand-nieces/nephews, Nicole (Alex) Valaskatzis, Ella & Effie Valaskatzis, Cy Czarnecki, Farisai (Mike) Makuto-Frei, Nyasha Makuto, Rob (Jacinth) Price, Edelweiss and Orrin Price, Kari-Lynn (Matko) Papic, Luka, Marko & Mateya Papic; and brother in laws Scott Roberts, Moffat (Amy) Makuto.
Jan is predeceased by his parents, Stanislaw and Dorothy Czarnecki; mother-in-law, Margaret Roberts; and brother Richard Czarnecki.
Our family would like to thank the staff of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Centre medical/oncology floor 1A for all the care and compassion shown to Jan and our family. Thank you to Dr. Al Katari for finding a rare diagnosis, and to Dr. Kisselgoff, Dr. Ward and Dr. Simpson.
