March 7, 1942 - May 31, 2025
In loving memory ~
Born: March 7, 1942 (Hengelo, Netherlands)
Died: May 31, 2025 (Port Alberni)
Henk died peacefully in the comfort of his home during the wee hours of the morning. We can take solace in knowing that he was totally satisfied with the life he had lived and was ready to leave his ailing body.
Predeceased by his parents and two of his three brothers in Holland, he is survived by his loving family comprised of wife Karey; daughters Marieke (John) and Anke (Shawn); step-children Lisa (Chris), Nicole (Matt), Nathan (Kimmie), and Rachel (Mark); granddaughters Bella and Maddy, Emma and Taylor; step-grandchildren Jet, Kohen, Erik, and Tristan. He is also survived by his former wife and mother of his daughters Mar; eldest brother Jan (Coby); nieces and nephews.
Henk's childhood years were spent in Holland. Then after serving with the Dutch Military Police in active service in Dutch New Guinea, Henk began living life on his own terms. His plentiful talents and certifications in Marine Engineering and Aircraft Maintenance Engineering took him to places of employment ranging from Holland to Iran to Parksville, Canada where he settled with his young family in 1979. Several years later, while engineering aboard the MV Lady Rose, he had met and later married Karey and they left BC to work for the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Mt. Hope, Ontario, where Henk became their Director of Maintenance and Restoration working on aircraft of the same vintage as those he had learned to fly as a youth. After almost ten years "out East," the call of the West Coast brought them home to become employees of Lady Rose Marine Services, who sent Henk, with Karey by his side, to manage Sechart Lodge in Barkley Sound and skipper the lodge's water taxi while living an off-the-grid life for almost twenty years until retirement, when Port Alberni became home again. Now Henkie could finally get off the water and back onto his Honda Gold Wing.
Beloved husband, dad, step-dad, Opa and friend, brother and uncle; Henk is and always will be missed so very much.
With respect for Henk's wishes,
there will be no Service.