Remembering Jake

by Scott Creighton & Barbara Hammer (AuntBB)

 

Jake Muller left this life quite unexpectedly 40 days ago. Unexpectedly because Jake Muller had been full of life, a life that was stripped from him by both the careless and calculated actions of an institution.

Without getting into that too much, AuntBB wants to remember her beloved husband today on this, the 40th day of his passing.

'I spent a lot of time in writing this & tried to do him justice. May 22nd is day 40, an important time in the traditional mourning period for many cultures, including Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Middle Eastern Islam & even Hindu societies.

Please find Jake's online obituary at https://justcremation.ca/obituaries/jacob-muller'

'Jacob (Jake) Muller, a youthful 78, of Abbotsford, British Columbia, passed away unexpectedly on April 13, 2026, at the Abbotsford Regional Hospital from complications after recent routine surgery. Born in Bad Hersfeld, Germany, in 1947, he was the first son and namesake of his father in the tradition of German families over the generations at the time. His parents, Jacob and Elizabeth (Schneider), were ethnic Germans from the village of Moragy (Maratz in German) in Hungary. They immigrated to Canada when he was around 10 years old and eventually settled with his maternal grandparents in Woodstock, Ontario.

 

Raised and educated in Ontario where he received his B.A. at the University of Guelph, Jake then earned his M.A. at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He had a long academic career in BC where he served over 30 years in a variety of capacities as a union activist and finally retired as Professor Emeritus from Northwest Community College (now Coast Mountain College) in Terrace. His greatest achievement was a writing guide which Oxford University Press published.

In his leisure, Jake had a variety of interests and was an accomplished amateur guitarist, performing in jazz and blues ensembles until hearing loss ended his musical hobby. In spite of his color-blindness, he started learning to paint landscapes in oils on canvas from local professional Terrace artist Wally Humphrey, after whose death he was self-taught. In retirement in Abbotsford, Jake pursued his writing career on other topics of interest, expanded his art on canvas beyond oils, and into acrylics and glitter, and produced protest art on the side. He was active in local art circles where his work was included in many shows at galleries. He also served honorably, working for positive change, on his strata council for 2 years.

Jake's devoted wife of 20 years, Barbara Hammer, whom he met in Terrace, but was originally from Virginia, shared his German heritage and survives him as a heartbroken widow. In Ontario, his surviving family members and their spouses are his brother Pete (Lynn) of Ingersoll, nephews Stewart (daughter Elora, fiancee Lainey Irwin and son Bodhi) and Neil (sons Noah and Nicholas) of Woodstock, and niece Emma Muller (Salina Wang) of Toronto. His nephews and niece knew him for always remembering birthdays.

Arrangements were made for Jake's remains at Just Cremation in Aldergrove, BC. The  Muller family in Ontario held a private celebration of life on the weekend following his passing. In honor of his memory, his widow asks friends, family and acquaintances to support the arts, especially programs in public schools.'

Jake wrote many papers over the course of his life and four books. Here are two of the latest:

• A Guide To ETs/Star Nations and Beings (A - L) Volume 1  There are about 350 races of extraterrestrials (ETs) or star nations and beings listed alphabetically in this first volume.
• A Guide to ETs/Star Nations and Beings (M - Z) Volume 2   There are an additional 250 alphabetically listed ETs/Star Nations and Beings from M - Z to those in Volume 1.

Jake was also an artist and he and Chris Johnston did a showing in April of 2024. What follows is a brief YouTube video of the show.

 

You can find more of Jake's artwork on his Instagram page here.

I found this one particularly charming.

 

I did not know Jake. Did not have the pleasure. So I cannot say much about him other than what I know offhand. He taught young people. He was a union man. He played music and painted and was always trying to improve rather than be noticed.

Jake was into Super Soldiers, ironically? Seriously? Only Jake knew and Aunt BB wont talk about it. They had boundaries.

What little I know of Jake, he had a dry sense of humor and didn't like idle time. Seems he was always doing something. 

Maybe that's the alien DNA in him.

I do know this: when BB visited before several times, when she traveled around exploring parts of the world, I could always tell when her timer was running out and she needed to get home to Jake.

They were good together and treated each other well which may be the most important thing one person can say about another when they pass.

Jake was loved.

Rest in peace.