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EDITH (DIRKJE) MARIA WASSENAAR
Date of Passing: Mar 29, 2024
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryEDITH (DIRKJE) MARIA WASSENAAR
On March 29, 2024, our dear Mom, Edith Wassenaar, age 98, passed away peacefully with friends and family at her side.
Edith, also known as Dit by her Dutch friends and family, was born in 1926 in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands. She and Hank and their three children, John (Wanda), Gerda (Ted), and Arnold, all under the age of five, immigrated to Canada in May 1954. She was blessed with five grandchildren, Lori (Asif), Lisa, Jenny, Kelly (Darcy), and Julia, plus six great-grandchildren, Ryley, Zach, Kelsey, Forest, Aliya and Aydin. She leaves to mourn her youngest sister Laura (Court), sister-in-law Anne, and numerous friends and relatives here and in Holland.
She was predeceased by her husband, Hank, and brothers Leen (Laura), Leo (Truis), Peter (Anne), and her sister, Rie.
Edith was the eldest of six children and was 13 years old when the German Army swept through Holland in 5 days. She had to quit school and worked as a live-in maid for a wholesale bulb grower in her hometown of Lisse. She sent her meagre pay home to help support her four younger brothers and sister. She often said “I didn’t really have a childhood”. It was not until May 5, 1945 that the Canadian Army broke through to Lisse to finally free all of Holland from the Nazi grasp. Edith, then 18, described it as a highlight of her still young life, roaring around the streets of Lisse in a jeep with two young Canadian soldiers for a full week of celebrating.
But Lisse was slow to recover after the war. There were no jobs, and the economy was flagging. After getting married in 1949, Edith and husband Hank, and their three children, immigrated to Canada, opting to settle in the market garden centre of the country, Winnipeg. They had been preceded the previous year by Oma and Opa, Leen, Pete and Laura.
Edith and Hank were followed to Winnipeg by her brother Leo and his family and they became part of the growing group of Dutch families. That was their social life, living amongst other Dutch immigrant families. Pretty soon the Canadian Dutch Club was organized which carried on many Dutch traditions, like dances, card games, and Carnaval, a special Easter celebration where everyone dressed up in costume, and of course, there was dancing. Edith also participated in Folklorama for the Dutch Pavilion. She belonged to the Dutch Club’s bowling league and Card Club for many years.
Edith was always a working Mom. In the sixties, she got a job at Sport-Ease fashions, a company that made women’s leather coats. She was doing piecework sewing, but eventually worked her way up to become the head shipper as the coats were sent all over the country and to the U.S. She worked there for over 25 years, before retiring in 1991 at the age of 65.
Edith had many interests including knitting, gardening, and crosswords. She had a great sense of humour and loved watching late-night TV shows like Johnny Carson, David Letterman, and All in the Family.
As for sports, she watched PGA golf and was a big Blue Bombers fan. She enjoyed playing golf with her friends and riding her bike in Kildonan Park. She loved a game of Scrabble with anyone who would play.
Our Mom must have had such a good life that she didn’t want to leave. She was in her 99th year! Through her actions we learned the value of hard work, honesty, and a sense of humour. We miss her a lot and will always remember the good times. Love you, Mom!
Funeral service will be held on Wednesday, April 10, at 2:00 p.m. at Glen Eden Funeral Home, 4477 Main Street, West St. Paul, with a reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests you donate to a charity of your choice.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 06, 2024, Apr 06, 2024
