Jana Cakl (Jakoubek) September 22, 1945 – March 9, 2021
We are saddened to announce the sudden and unexpected passing of Jana Cakl on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at the age of 75. Jana is survived by her loving husband of nearly 51 years, Paul; brother, Vaclav (Lena) of Gleniffer Lake; nephews, Vaclav (Jana) of Calgary and Michael (Eva) in Prague, Czech Republic and their families.
Jana’s life was a most remarkable one to say the least. One could write a series of novels depicting all of her and Paul’s adventures and still run out of pages. From mountaineering, to scuba diving, to exploring foreign countries, Jana did it all, and with lots of love shared along the way.
Jana’s story began in Old Prague, Czech Republic, where she, her brother Vaclav, and her mother Jindra lived a modest life. She was an exceptional student and a phenomenal athlete early on, unsatisfied with anything other than A’s in her industrial electrical engineering classes and dedicated to being the best volleyball player she could be, making it to the highest division in Czech Republic. Although these accomplishments would be more than enough to satisfy many people, it was not enough for Jana, she was looking for more than what Czech could offer.
One of her first adventures, and what Paul would probably say was her most significant, was to Eastern Germany on the coast of the Baltic Sea. This is where she met Paul. From that moment on they were inexorably bound to one another.
In 1969, after one year of Russian communist control of Czech Republic, Jana and Paul decided that they could not live under the constraints of this kind of regime and decided to immigrate to Austria. They stayed in Austria for only six months though as Paul was offered a good Job in Germany. When they moved to Germany they got married (March 19, 1970) as it was evident that they were soul mates. During this time, they enjoyed going to various museums and exploring what Germany had to offer.
After a Year and a half in Germany, Paul’s work brought them to Sydney, Australia. Here Jana was offered a spot on the national Australian volleyball team under the condition that she would become an Australian citizen. Faced with this decision that would ground them to Australia, Jana made a tough call and declined this offer as Australia was not enough for her, and also too hot for them.
Three years later, in 1975, they would move to Toronto. Canada was always their dream destination after all. When they arrived, it was in the thick of winter, around -40c, I think this definitely wasn’t too hot. Typical of them it didn’t take long to go exploring. Their first major trip in Canada brought them to Alberta, and when they saw the Rockies their life of mountaineering flashed before their eyes. They had to be there. So not long after they moved to Toronto, they packed up their things and drove to Calgary to settle down.
This is where their life of adventure began. They made a commitment every year to work for 9 months and travel for 3. They were quintessential travelers, exploring the far reaches of the Asian Silk Road and the lofty remote peaks of Patagonia, to the cultural Meccas of the world. They collected all sorts of artifacts and souvenirs along the way, but most importantly they were making memories and enjoying each other's company. She was the most organized and prepared traveler and, together with Paul, they loved to explore all of the nooks and crannies of any place she visited. The 9 months were no bore though as they had endless mountains to hike, climb and ski, or paraglide beside bewildered eagles. Chances are if you were to name a specific mountain in the Banff and Lake Louise area Jana and Paul had probably been there, and Jana would be keen to tell you what to watch out for and how to prepare. If this isn’t impressive enough, they did most of their exploring before GPS was mainstream.
In the beginning Jana was an adventurous soul always searching for more, this relentless pursuit continued throughout her life. She was never satisfied with an average quiet existence and couldn’t be kept in one place for too long. Her incredible organizational skills and endless curiosity allowed her to live a most extraordinary life that will be remembered and missed for generations to come. With a loving memory of Jana, we wish her the best on her final journey.
A private family funeral will be held. To view and share photos, condolences and stories of Jana please visit www.choicememorial.com. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Choice Memorial Cremation & Funeral Services (403) 277-7343.