Sebastian de Visser
May 26, 1941- September 24, 2021
Sebastian de Visser, also known as Pan, passed away on September 24, 2021, at Wind River Hospice in Whitehorse, Yukon. He was born on May 26, 1941, in Veghel, The Netherlands.
He emigrated to Canada in 1963 and spent the majority of his life in the Yukon. He was the eighth child of Sebastianus and Christine (Van Hout) de Visser and was predeceased by his parents, his sisters Hanny, Carla and Louise, his brother Gerard, and his son Peter. He is survived by his brother John, his sisters Maria, Thea, Christine and Nancky, his son Christoper, and numerous nieces and nephews. Sebastian loved music and played guitar in a number of bands throughout the Yukon and Alaska.
He also loved tennis and badminton and could often be seen walking along the Yukon River trail with a racquet sticking out of his black bag. Thank you to the amazing people at Thomson Centre, Wind River and Yukon Home Care who cared for him over the past year and a half.
He will be missed by many.
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Comments (6)
Tony Tengs on Nov 12, 2021 at 12:42 pm
I’m sorry to hear of the passing of our friend Pan. He was a magical soul. Several years ago I was in Skagway at the Northwords Writers Symposium, and being so close to Whitehorse, I decided to drive up to try to see my old friend, whom I hadn’t seen for years. Only I didn’t know how to find him there. A mutual friend informed me that he often had coffee at McDonalds. That was all I had to go on. So I drove up with a plan to find him. As soon as I hit town, I needed to stop and use a restroom and open my map and get my bearings as to how to proceed. So I stopped at the first Tim Horton’s I saw. I bought a cup of coffee and prepared to look at my map to find Pan. I turned toward the fireplace in the room, and there he sat, like a mystic. I was blown away. I told him why I’d come, and asked him if he came there often. He said he didn’t come there often, but something told him to come there then!
His guitar playing was equally intuitive and “tapped-in”. I feel blessed to have had him in my life. I’ve kept his doodled postcards as treasures. He will be sorely missed!
Real Fagnan on Oct 29, 2021 at 2:17 pm
This is very sad news; I lived in Whitehorse from ‘79 to ‘83 playing steady gigs at several local clubs, Pan was a friend , and a guitar mentor and tennis teacher for me. A lovely soul who had a wonderful, quirky sense of humour, he was such an easy hang. A quiet Whitehorse legend really on the guitar, along with his old friend and my main guitar guru Robbie Mackay. Rest In Peace Pan. 🎸 🎾 🙏🌈
Jon Schwindt on Oct 28, 2021 at 12:14 pm
1987 YouTube footage of Pan, end of video performing with Bob Charlie. Search 88 03 TAMAPTA Ft.McPherson Music Festival.
Jon Schwindt on Oct 28, 2021 at 9:57 am
Pan, played bass several gigs with me and Bob Charlie mid 80s. Very kind man who loved a good laugh. I remember him doing a nice version of “The Sea of Love”. Condolences to his family and friends.
Christine Reintjes on Oct 28, 2021 at 2:32 am
RIP uncle Sebastian.
John de Visser on Oct 27, 2021 at 6:39 pm
Thank you for this wonderful tribute.
Farewell, Uncle Sebastian.
Rest in peace.
❤