Connie Karsten-Galts

May 14, 2020

Aunt Maria was a very special person to Grace and I. She was like our "other mother" when we were babies. She moved into my parents house and helped to take care of Grace and I when we were very young and she stayed for a few years. She also often visited our family through the later years and would bring with her all the fun and humor we know so well. She was an adventurous person and she loved to stay active and walk through nature- especially with her beautiful white dog. When Grace and I visited her in Victoria as teenagers, she showed us all the great places to see: the beaches, the Butchart Gardens and Nanaimo. It was a very memorable trip for us and it was the first time we were on a plane. I have very fond memories of Aunt Maria. I know she will rest in peace and now she will have fun with all the relatives in heaven.

Connie Karsten- Galts

Phoenix, Arizona

Tante Riet,

I remember tante Riet as someone who loved her life, and she loved the people around her. That was what she showed us. When she visited Holland in april 2016 it was very special because she stayed close to the place where she was born. The same place where I was born and grown up. She told a lot of stories about her younger years .

We made several trips e.g. Keukenhof and Volendam.

She had started with dementia a little bit and told a lot about her parents and her memories. This was special to hear for me as a niece.

For now I want to thank Yvon for her special care for tante Riet.

Tante Riet, rest in peace.

Love, Miriam Wenker- Klaver (from Cor & Corrie Klaver- van Olst)

Avenhorn

Ik herinner tante Riet als iemand die hield van het leven en de mensen om haar heen. Ik heb mooie herinneringen aan haar, vooral haar laatste bezoek aan Nederland in april 2016. Ze logeerde vlak bij haar ouderlijk huis in Avenhorn. Wat ook mijn ouderlijk huis was. Dit waren mooie herinneringen aan vroeger. Mooi om te horen.

Tante Riet rust zacht.

Liefs Miriam Wenker-Klaver

We are saddened to hear that Tante Marie passed away, after suffering from Alzheimer's. I remember Tante Marie had a great love and zest for life. Her laughter was music to my ears and it was often. Rest in peace Tante Marie.

We would like to thank Tante Marie's niece Yvonne Klaver from Calgary, for all her commitment and loving care that my aunt received when her health started to deteriorate.

Mary Klaver Blom and Ed Blom

Barrie, Ontario

Aunt Mary,

I will always remember aunt Mary as a lively, active and a socially-minded person. She loved being around with people and she loved Holland and her family from Holland. When she visited her family in Holland she always stayed at my parents house. My mother, Annie, is her youngest sister and she loved her very much. My brother, sister and I grew up with aunt Mary although she lived in Canada far away from Holland. We kept in touch with each other by phone and when she came to Holland.

I have a healthy respect for my aunt. She moved to Canada when she was about 40 years old. She managed to make a living and she enjoyed life in Canada.

In 1998 I visited aunt Mary, together with my husband, on Victoria island where she lived. She was 63 years old and with the 3 of us we made a trip by boat to watch whales. We didn't spot any whale but it was an incredible and fantastic experience.

Dear aunt Mary, rest in peace and I am glad being your niece from Holland.

love,

Pauline

De Goorn, Noord-Holland, Holland

Lieve familie, ik wil iedereen van harte condoleren met het verlies van onze tante Riet. Ik kan me haar herinneren als een levenslustig mens die wist wat ze wilde. Ik wens de familieleden in Canada veel sterkte met de afhandeling van alle laatste zorg om haar heen. En vooral Yvonne: bedankt dat je de zorg voor tante Riet op je hebt genomen en ons van alle stappen op de hoogte hebt gehouden. Dat vond ik fantastisch!

Een hartelijke groet van Alice Klaver (dochter van Niek Klaver en Riet Beers)

Lutjewinkel, Noord-Holland