Jean "John" D. Nysten's Obituary
Jean “John” D. Nysten, a resident of Haverhill, passed away at High Pointe House on Thursday, April 6, 2023, surrounded by his loving family. He was 88 years old.
Born in Belgium on August 7, 1934, he was the beloved son of the late Jean and Marie Nysten and the brother of Josette Nysten. Jean grew up in Liège, a city in Belgium, during World War II. At that time, Belgium was under German occupation, and Jean and his family were forced to flee their home and temporarily relocate to France for safety. After returning to Belgium, Jean continued pursuing his education and later served in the Belgian Army.
Jean married the late Yvonne (Campolini) Nysten in 1958, and they immigrated to Canada. He worked in the land surveying industry in Montreal. One of his fondest memories was camping in the Laurentians by the river with friends and family. In the late 1960s, Jean relocated with his family to the United States and settled in Methuen, MA. He became a Registered Land Surveyor and opened his own practice in Andover, MA in the mid 1970s. Jean performed countless surveys and designed many land development projects throughout the Merrimack Valley and other locations in the Greater Boston area. Jean loved his profession and was known to bring creativity to an extremely technical discipline. He shared his passion and talent for surveying with his son, Patrick, who worked with him for many years. Jean proudly operated his business until his retirement. In his later years, he enjoyed spending time with his friends and reading car magazines with a cup of coffee by his side. Jean loved traveling, driving, and mathematics. Above all, his family was his pride and joy.
Jean overcame substantial adversity in his life (growing up in a war zone, losing his wife, Yvonne, in the prime of their lives, and beating cancer twice), and he will be remembered for his courage and resilience. Jean is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Patrick and Vanessa Nysten of Windham, NH; his granddaughters, Marina Nysten of Walpole, MA and Arielle Nysten of Windham, NH; his sister, Josette Nysten of Belgium; and his many other beloved relatives and friends.
Visiting hours will be held at Kenneth H. Pollard Funeral Home, 233 Lawrence Street, Methuen, MA on Tuesday April 11, 2023 from 4:00 - 8:00 PM. His funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM at St. Matthew Church, 2 Searles Road, Windham, NH on Wednesday April 12, 2023. He will be laid to rest at Eternal Light Mausoleum, 23 Pond Street, Salem, NH.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Jean’s name to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: bit.ly/danafarberdonate. For directions or online condolences visit www.pollardfuneralhome.com. The Kenneth H. Pollard Funeral Home is honored to serve the Nysten family.
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