BARGEN, Arthur Jacob
April 18, 1930 – December 12, 2017

Arthur passed away peacefully at Peace Arch Hospital on December 12, 2017. He was predeceased by his loving wife Elle in 2012. He was father to Randy (Jill) and Gail (Colin); beloved grandfather of Cameron, (Stephanie) Lexie, Alexander, and Lauren. He was also great-grandfather of Jaxson, and Alivia.

Arthur was born in Yarrow, BC on April 18, 1930, to Johan G. & Maria (Huebner) Bargen. His older siblings were Lena, John and Peter. He attended elementary school in Yarrow and graduated from Chilliwack Junior-Senior High School in 1949.

Arthur later moved to Vancouver where he met his lifelong love Elle. Married in 1954, they moved to Burnaby to raise their family. Arthur then ran a successful real estate development company; Southwood Investments Ltd., from 1960 to 2014. Many summers were spent boating the local waters of BC, then wintering in Palm Springs, Calif.

Funeral service will be held December 20, 2017 at 10:00, at Valley View Funeral Home, 14644 72nd Avenue, Surrey, BC. Reception followed. In lieu of flowers please donate to the charity of your choice.


BARGEN, Elle Edith (nee Wutzki/Lemke)

Peacefully passed away on January 28, 2012. She was the beloved wife of Arthur, dear mother of Randy (Leslie) Bargen and Gail (Colin) Grinstead and loving Grandma to Cameron, Lexie, Alexander, and Lauren. Elle was born October 23, 1933 in Wapella, Saskatchewan, two months after her father and two siblings lost their lives in a house fire. Her pregnant mother survived. As a poor widow in the Great Depression, was re-married to Michael Lemke a widower with three children.

The family moved to British Columbia in 1936, settling in South Vancouver. Elle attended both elementary and high school in Vancouver, and later enrolled at Sprott Shaw Business School to complete secretarial program. Her first job was at the Vancouver Province and later as a secretary to the manager of the Dominion Bank of Canada.

In 1954 she married Arthur Bargen and had two children, Randy and Gail. She enjoyed curling and travelling and in the summer, enjoyed boating up and down the coast as far north as Alaska while members of The Richmond Yacht Club and then The Royal Vancouver Yacht Club.

Elle suffered from ill health over different periods of her life. Elle survived cancer on two separate occasions, but finally pancreas and liver cancer took her life. The family wishes to thank the nurses and doctors of Peace Arch Palliative Care program who cared for her in her home. Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. with viewing and visitation one hour prior, at Valley View Funeral Home, 14660, 72nd Ave. Surrey. No flowers upon request, any donation to the Canadian Cancer Society would be greatly appreciated.