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Catharina (Netty) Maria Antonia Reumkens

October 27, 2015

Catharina (Netty) Maria Antonia passed away during the early hours of Tuesday morning, October 27th with family at her side in Parksville’s Arrowsmith Lodge.

She is predeceased in 1998 by husband Jozef; sisters Tiny, Hanny, Annie; brothers Willam and Johan in the Netherlands.

Mom (Oma) is survived by Berry (Jane) in Chemainus, Alwina (Bob) in Port Alberni, and Dianne in Parksville. Oma leaves behind her precious grandchildren Cash (Karle) in Red Deer and Brock (Stephanie) in Calgary, Joey (Port Alberni), Casey and Codey (Parksville). She is also survived by sisters Tilly (Kamloops), Jos (Belgium), Tonnie, Gerda, Mia, as well as brothers Jeu and Nico, all in the Netherlands.

Born in 1932 in the Netherlands, Netty was  the seventh child in a family of thirteen.  Netty and Jozef  were married in May 1956 and immigrated to Canada that same year, where they boarded one of the many troop and cargo ships (Groote Beer) converted to take the flow of people from Europe to Canada at that time.  In later years, Mom often recounted the agonizing ocean crossing as she was seasick for the entire trip, like so many others, and had no idea where they were going. They then boarded a train for the remainder of the journey to Port Alberni, not knowing a word of English.  It is a familiar story for many in the Alberni Valley.

She held down the most important job in our society - that of fulltime homemaker, and fulfilled it with pride and joy. Her life was her children and her grandchildren. Netty only left her 8th Ave home in February of 2014 as the ravages of Parkinson’s disease made it impossible to be without extra care. Once again she left comfortable and familiar surroundings, spending her last 19 months at Arrowsmith Lodge in Parksville where she forged new bonds and was affectionately known as “Oma”.  Netty’s telling traits were to do good by others and to treat people as we expect to be treated…….in her fiercely protective nature - no one was ever to mess with her kids. This prevailed to the end. The stories she told and passed on to her children and grandchildren were many- enough to fill a book- especially of the war years.

There is nothing quite like the love of an Oma.

You will be forever in our hearts.

According to Netty’s wishes, a private family service will be held where she  will be laid to rest next to her husband Jozef. In lieu of flowers,  donations in Netty’s memory may be made to the Arrowsmith Home Foundation Society, 266 Molliet St., Parksville BC, V9P 1M9 or the Parkinson’s Society of BC, Suite 600 – 890 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 1J9.



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