Our dear moeder passed away on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at the age of 97 at Hogarth Riverview Manor. Mom was born in Amsterdam, Holland, the youngest of 3 siblings, to Anna Sophia Dijkstra and Jan Willem Dekker on October 14, 1927. Mom spoke often of her older sister, Anny, and shared numerous trips overseas to Holland visiting her family and friends. Her older brother, Jan, lived with his wife, Riet, and 2 children in Cape Town, South Africa.
At the age of 8 or 9, when World War II started, coupons were needed to buy food, so she stood in line to pick them up 2-3 days a week. Having no electricity, they lived with candles. Cities out of Amsterdam suffered the damage of war so mom’s family was safe. She watched the families below run to hide in bunkers.
Living on Tidorestraat with her family above a milk store, mom was hired by a widowed Dutch lady to work in her coffee shop at the age of 13. To keep her feet dry, she washed floors with klompen on her feet, cleaned tables, and served coffee and gebakjes (tarts). She laughed often about her memories of her younger years growing up in Holland. A few years later, she worked in a fabric factory cutting out dress shapes with no patterns. She loved her job and they loved her.
When mom lived in Amsterdam, at a very young age, she inherited the name Tiny (Teenie), as we know her well by Tiny Dekker.
Mom, Anny, and a good friend enjoyed afternoons taking the train from Amsterdam to Bussem, just for a ride. Three young Dutch girls having a good time. At 16, mom went out on a Sunday afternoon with Auntie Anny for a 1/2 hour train ride to Volendam to get their Dutch photo taken, each in a man and a women's costume.
She met our dad, Peter, in Holland, and in April 1947, as a young war bride of 19, she voyaged alone to Canada with very few belongings and no money on the RMS Queen Elizabeth. She was now starting a different life as a young wife and mother. She was very happy to have met a lifelong friend, Betty Forbes, who was also Dutch, who came to Canada and also lived in Fort William. Their friendship grew and was a way to keep her Dutch language strong.
Residing in Westfort, she raised 5 children. Although challenging, she had a content and happy life with her kids. They all helped her keep the Dekker sense of humour growing up as mom had to keep her chin up and hold her head high, which was hard at the best of times. She focused on jobs around the house to keep her mind happily occupied. She baked fantastic cinnamon buns, which we remember clearly rolling, buttering, and sprinkling brown sugar and raisins. We can still smell them. Mom picked up on some Ukrainian recipes which became staples on our dinner menu. She passed a lot of time in the fall cutting and peeling apples from the huge tree in our yard. Pies, pies, and more pies.
From growing up in Holland, you could guess as what would be one staple flower in her yard. Half of the garden she insisted would be flowers and beautiful tulips as they were everywhere. Moeder took much pride in her garden of colour blending in her blossoming apple tree, 2 lilac trees, a rose and 3 peony bushes, and not to mention all the hot pink lavatera planted later. What a sight in the summer! The landscape crew loved her and her yard, and as a reward after an hour of lawn work, they received water and chocolate bars. As the years went by, there were more weeds and less flowers that she would try to unearth with her picker. When she could still get out of the house, she would sit in the shade and watch and listen to her 3 sparrow families coming and going.
After dad’s passing, she still made the effort twice a week to keep in touch by phone with her brother-in-law, dear Uncle Nick. They patiently waiting for each other’s call.
Mom loved her freedom in her rather large home, but now she had to get used to her new living companion, her nexus walker, which she welcomed. She knew fresh air was good for her and loved getting out. She’d ask the cabby “When and where are we going today?” She made weekly trips to Walmart and especially to the Thunder Oak Cheese Farm and Vanderwees for coffee, gebakjes, and shopping.
Mom had a great sense of humour and a wicked laugh that she couldn’t stop! I witnessed this one day while trying a dress on in a Grand Marais shop and she couldn’t get it off. Well, we were both in the change room, crying ourselves silly for at least 10 minutes. Many good trips over the border and Sunday rummy card games with Paul and Rose were had. She was pretty good.
Flowers and hugs always put a smile on her face. Andre Rieu was also a part of mom’s life. She’d ask to put the DVD in and crank up the volume with the windows open, and off she went clapping and singing in Dutch. Mom’s house was full of colourful flowers and tulips, and not to mention all the Delft Blue collected over the years.
Mom was predeceased by her husband Peter; son John; mother and father Anna and Jan; mother-in-law Anna; father-in-law Alex; brothers-in-law Steve, Mike, Bill, and Nick; sisters-in-law Jenny, Tina, Stella, Becky, and Anny; son-in-law Rudy Barton; sister Anny and brother-in-law Geherd v/d Meulen, Holland; and brother Jan, Africa.
Survived by son Paul (Mary); granddaughter Amanda Lupis (Alex), great-granddaughters Abigail, Olivia, and Madeleine of Australia; granddaughter Nicole Kalia (Pawan) of Hong Kong; daughter MaryAnne Barton; daughter Rose; grandson Spencer, great-grandson Owen; son James (Tam); grandson Jake; and other nieces and nephews. Also surviving in Holland are niece Marion (Bert) Negryn, her son Stefan (Mirium); nephew Ronald v/d Meulen; sister-in-law Riet Dekker, nephew Marcel of Florida, and niece Monique of England. Also surviving Oma are grandsons Michael (Anya) of Calgary, Ian of Dominican Republic, Brad (Joyce); great-grandson Hayden; great-granddaughter Hannah all of Scarborough.
As per her wishes, cremation has taken place, and her ashes will be brought to Amsterdam to be reunited with her family.
A special thank you to all the caregivers of Hogarth 4N who showed great compassion and love to our moeder, and to everyone she came into contact with at Hogarth Riverview Manor for many hugs and smiles over the past 5 years. Also a special thanks to Steve and Barb Trojan for their kindness and support while mom lived on Mountdale Avenue.
~Sincerely Paul, MaryAnne, Rose, and James
Condolences may be made through www.nwfainc.com
