Obituary of Jacoba (Coby) van Veenendaal

July 28, 1930 – Utrecht, Holland
December 4, 2021 – Calgary, Alberta

Jacoba van Veenendaal, devoted wife and mother, of Calgary, AB,  peacefully passed away on Saturday, December 4, 2021 at the age of 91 years, with her son at her side.

Coby and Harry married on April 8th, 1954. With the promise of adventure and opportunity they boarded the Groote Beer setting sail for Canada. Joining them were Harry’s sister Ann and her husband Ed Eerbeek. Although leaving behind their homeland and family was challenging, they persevered working hard building a successful life first in Calgary then Parksville later to Sidney, BC and finally back to Calgary. Harry and Coby enjoyed travelling whether by car, motorhome, airlines, or cruise ships. Most meaningful were the journeys back to their motherland, reuniting with family and Coby’s long-time girlfriend Dien Rinkel. But returning to her home in Canada was also very important. It was where her heart was, her pride and joy. Coby was a deeply devoted mother to her only child, Rudy, always there with her unconditional love and support. She was well known for providing a “gezellig” cozy home to her family of three, and to many guests over the years. An outstanding cook, she took pride in creating everyone’s favorites. She had a keen sense of detail, combined with a warm heart and a genuine desire to bring joy to those around her. Coby was also known for her love of all animals, welcoming many family pets to share a special place in her home.

She is survived by her son Rudy and daughter-in-law Donna, their extended family, James, Patricia, and Sam; sister Christina (Tom) Kenny; nephews, Tom (Margot) Kenny and Michael (Leanne) Kenny and families; and sister-in-law Ann Eerbeek, nieces and nephews, Ron (Sue) Eerbeek, Theresia Eerbeek, Jack Eerbeek; as well as many other in-laws, nieces, and nephews in the Netherlands. She was predeceased by Harry, her loving husband of 65 years.

A Private family Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to an animal charity of your choice or to the Alzheimer Society of Calgary www.alzheimercalgary.com. Condolences, memories and photos can also be shared and viewed here.

We wish to thank the many family members, friends, and caregivers who cared for Coby in her journey with Alzheimer’s. The team at Bow-Crest Revera made a huge impact on her quality of life, as a family we are forever grateful for your care for her and our family.