Background music sung by brother Harko

Hindrikje Wassing

(Henny)

Born August 19, 1932 in 'tZandt Groningen

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Myself as a very young child, about 3 years old maybe. No date was available.

Here I am about 14 years old in a sweater knitted by myself in yellow with a green design, I remember it well. I knitted gloves from the left over yarn.

Here I am right after WW2 with clothes that came from Uncle Derk and Aunt Grace in the USA, boxes and boxes came with badly needed stuff

Here I am at 16 standing on the drive by our house on Godlinzerweg. The fence was covered in sweetpeas Mom had planted all along the drive.

Here I am at 17 in Zeist, Utrecht, working as a nannie for 3 children

Here I am 19 at the point of immigrating to Canada

Sam and I became engaged and had our picture taken. He was living in Transcona, Manitoba and I was living in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Now it is all Winnipeg I believe.

Sam and I in front of our little house.

Happy times. Sam and I at a family party

Me at 70, Jean and Pat took me out for a birthday dinner

72 years old

Forgot how old I am here but up there some where. Visiting Dave's sister Linda and husband Dan's place in Kitchener, Ontario

I went with Edna, Dave and the girls to a Christmas party from Dave's work and they took a picture of me with RangerTex, the then mascot of the Kitchener Rangers

I found this picture of Dirk and I out biking, like I said we were best friends as well as brother and sister

My best friend at school and after, Marie Vanderzee, I always wished for a body like hers I remember, so tall and slim

I am relaxing, tomorrow is the big day for Edna, Dave and the girls

Here I am in the evening of my life, time is not kind to us but we keep our memories and they stay with us the rest of our life, and we dream of days gone by, and in those dreams I am still young and carefree.

Henny Hoekstra Wassing's

Autobiography

I was born on August 19, 1932, 'tZandt Groningen. I was christened Hindrikje, but right from the beginning Mom named me Henny, as she didn't like what my name would be turned into, like my grandmothers, her mother, whom I was named after. They called her Hindertje which meant small horse. I was born in a wild storm as told by my Dad. He went home early from the field knowing Mom was due anytime soon and the storm was coming closer. I was born like the others, at home and grandmother Mulder was the midwife. All children were born at home unless something was not right with the expecting mother, then they went to a hospital. I was the 6th child and the second girl. My earliest recollection of childhood would be when I was around 2 years old, and standing beside Mom's chair she was sitting in, with Jean, the next girl born, on her lap, and me asking about shiny eyes looking at me in the night through the window and Mom telling me that it was the neighbors cat who spend a lot of time in our house and just wanted to come in. The doors of our bed were open and I woke up to see those eyes staring at me. Up to this day I can still see those shiny glassy eyes. Our beds were build in the living room wall, two of them with doors that closed in the morning, then it looked like an ordinary wall. We had no electricity and no running water but our bathroom, unlike many others, was inside the house, built in, what you would call a large mud room.

I had a happy normal childhood, with four big older brothers I always felt protected and safe. As a three year old I ran across the road to be with one of them and got hit by a car and had a skull fracture, I don't remember any of that. I went to kindergarden and had a fight with a boy the first day, I hit him with a shovel over his nose and to this day he still has a scar there, and why I did it I don't know anymore , but it was in a sandbox. Grade school was ok. The brothers always protected me, the first year I went, there were three of them going with me at the same time. Mans, Arnold and Dirk. All kids on the first day of grade one, got a branch of a tree with all kinds of things tied on them. Mostly raisin buns, we called them bread trees, a lovely custom, abolished during the war, but at that time it was very exiting for me. We were told they grew in the school attic for the beginners in school. I remember mine, and Mans helping me bringing it home. It was heavy and hard to hold up straight.

I liked reading and writing and I liked math and was good at it. I never liked geography and still don't know much about it, neither did I like history. It was the most boring of subjects, then, now I like it. In second grade we started in craft, only for girls. We learned to knit and we made a doll, Mom stuffed it at home and sewed a face on it. We had a sewing sample to do with all kinds of different stitches and different colors. I think I was rather good because anyone that finished all the work, would be taught crocheting, there were only three of us in that class later.

Early on in life we had chores to do at home and sometimes I tried to get out of them and later had to face the consequences. I can still hear Trijn yelling my name to come back and wash the dishes and me running like mad to the road or field to play with the others. 6 brothers and sister came after me so there was always someone to play with and we had neighbors, not many, spread along the road. Dad had a fruit and vegetable business and we had to work in the garden, or on the parcels of land he rented from the local farmers. In the summer we had three weeks holidays from school and two of those weeks we had to pick berries, and one week, two of us always spend it with Aunt Gezina in Middelstum, she was the only one that always invited one or two of us. We had chores after school, we knitted our own socks and sweaters and we had to do several rows before we were allowed out to play. We had school clothes and had to change into play clothes, always. Two years I had to peel all the potatoes for our evening meal, first with my older brother Dirk, and then one year with Jean. We didn't get along very well. We argued a lot and one day she hit me, with a big knife she was peeling with, over my knee, I still carry that scar. Things happened in a family, we were allowed to argue but not to touch each other, which order was not always followed. We were cleaning leek one year for Dad in a huge cold room and Jean and I had a fight, I hit her over the head with a leek and broke her glasses. I hated those smelly slippery leeks. Through It all we were always together and loved each other and would always defend or protect each other. And of course there were also the war years by then, and we had to learn German, which we didn't of course but we could say a few things and I understand it pretty good. We had enough food, living where we were, but meat was sometimes in short supply, along with soap, sugar, clothes or material, and so many other things. The older boys worked for Dad and he paid them wages but the girls only got pocket money with the promise that, when we married, he would buy us everything. At 16 I told Dad I didn't want to work for him anymore, I was tired of working in the garden or the fields and just hated getting my hands dirty and I wanted to get paid like the boys. I went to live with our Uncle Harko, Mom's brother, in another province, and went to work, first to help in the household with board and room included, I didn't care much for that either, but then I found a job as a children's nanny and that was a nice job. My parents and most of my siblings immigrated to Canada and I stayed behind because of a special friend, that didn't last either, so Dad wrote for me to come to Canada and he would arrange for my passage. The last few months I stayed with sister Trijn who just had her first baby and I helped her, we sang and laughed a lot I remember, I embroidered a tablecloth for her with bright colors. Trijn was color blind and could not put colors together. I got myself ready to go to Canada, had my injections and got the paperwork ready, passport and such.

I boarded the M.S. Kota Inten and right away there were problems. They had me listed as Henry, and instead of girls there were three boys in the cabin. Back on land to figure out what to do. No room in any other cabin but below was a bunk open that I could have, with all the benefits of first class, I said, that was alright. I had a lovely trip and liked being on board a ship, I helped a lady who had a little baby with her and helped do her laundry, below the women and men were separated, the women and children had to fend for themselves at night, and the mother was so sick, but I had no problems. I arrived in Hallifax and all I remember of that is, that the building was so big and I couldn't understand a thing but some of the other passengers helped me to find my train and I was given a package with food. I sat on that train for four days I think, first with some other Dutch people and later all by myself. I ran out of food but never asked for anything. The conductor brought me a cup of coffee once. I just sat and read and watched, it went on and on. I would never have believed it if they had told me that was going to happen. Finally we arrived in Winnipeg and there they were, the whole family came to pick me up except for Arnold and Henny. We had to drive for an hour in two cars before we came to the farm where they were living, close to Dugald. A huge house I thought, lots of room. They all loved it there. I was surprised how they lived though. We always had a lavish set table, what I thought, was normal and here they had mostly horse meat for dinner and on the bread table they had only jam and peanut butter, but I never said anything. I remember thinking they are poor here. I stayed there for a couple of days then I went to Winnipeg, sister Jean was working in a nursing home and they hired me right away. I was paid 45 dollars a month with board and room. I had to pay Dad back 240 dollar for the boat trip which I did before they left for Ontario. I loved it at Moore's nursing home on Maryland in Winnipeg. I learned my english helping in the kitchen from Miss Pool, the cook, and reading comic books, determined to master the language and the cook was helping me a lot. Jean and I did a lot of singing the first month, later we learned that the residents loved listening to us. Jean left for another job and I was by myself. It was hard and sometimes I almost cried for lack of communication with people. While I was there, my parents and most of the family moved to Ontario, I had no idea how far away that was. In six month I spoke English but only what was always used. I remember two men coming to the nursing home and asking where the deceased was and me looking at them a little stupidly, and they said, the dead person, I had learned another word. I had met Sam at my parents house, at first I didn't like him much but we went out on a date and had such fun. We became very close and went steady.

in September 1953 we got married. We bought a little house on McMeans in Transcone Manitoba, for 2500 dollar, we borrowed the down payment, 500 dollar, from a farmer friend. The basement was full of water when we got in and a lot of stuff was sitting on the floor. We brought everything out and put it on the back lawn. We put all the bottles, of every kind, along the fence on the side of the house and there were lots, the whole back lawn was covered with dirty stuff. The only thing I really liked was a beautiful wicker laundry basket but it was wet and dirty so I put it on the lawn too. The next day we came home after work and not a thing was left on the lawn or against the fence. It was like we never had put anything out, all gone. At least it was cleaned up but I was sorry about the basket. We had no running water there either and an outhouse for bathroom. Sam would bring in water from a town tap not to far from our house, in milk cans on a little wagon. Once a week we went to a local bath house for a bath, that was a lot of fun. The following year Sam build us a bathroom with running water, it was heavenly to be able to take a warm bath right at home, he was pretty good with tools, he could make anything. We had a wood and coal furnice. I learned a new word there, My sister in law came to visit and while she was there a police man came to the door and asked about our dog and asked if it was a male or female, I had never heard that before and neither did Fenna, he said, is it a man or woman, so I had learned another word, the policeman had a little smiirk on his face so I think he understood what I was saying to my sister in law. Because it was a female we had to buy a license for 5 dollars. Sam worked at a grain elevator, on the North side of Transcona, till it closed, he then worked for a construction company. I worked later in a factory, first at Sherwin Williams and then in Stirling Cloak, I think, cutting material, not a bad job but I was not settled and needed something else. I had, had, several miscarriages and in 1961 had a stillborn child. I was told that it would be almost impossible for me to have another baby. That was the end of one dream.

Sam always got laid off from work because of the cold winters, so after such a time we decided to go to Ontario as well. Sam had a pickup truck and we loaded everything we could carry and left for a new future.

It was winter and up north we had to leave our name in one place called Longlac, and report back in at another place called, Hearst, because of the long distance in between with no gas station or restaurants, I think 175 miles or so. People had been known to get stranded there on the road, in the winter and freeze to death. The fan belt on the truck broke but we had no fear of overheating, instead I had a blanket around my legs to keep warm. We took it all in stride and when we came to a gas station had another fan belt put on. What a huge land we live in. It was amazing all this space and just the two of us, hardly ever any traffic. We always waved when we passed someone on the road. How I love this land.

Sam had a lovely tenor and together we sang a lot, always in harmony, either Sam sang melody or I did, we talked a lot as well. We arrived in Kitchener and boarded with John and Jenny. Sam went to work at Kayson Plastics and I worked for Hammond organ. We bought a little farm in Galt and moved there. What a room we had there, a 5 bedroom house and ugly as sin, pink and white and very dirty. Jenny helped me clean the downstairs bedroom so we would have at least one clean room. I was happy there because we adopted two children and finally I had a family of my own instead of always looking after others, which was ok but this was better. We were very poor there though, I remember having only 5 dollars one week for either soap or sugar and butter, we needed both. We had lots to eat, I tended a big garden and we had chickens, a pig and a cow. We had always company there and we had a lot of fun as well. Sam tried to make a go of it but nothing worked. We went several times to the bank to borrow more money. It was ok with me, I wanted him to be happy. Sam wanted to grow pickles but after two years of back breaking work for me, I had enough of it. At the same time we had also 3 foster children, Jimmy, Pat and Darren, I had my hands full with all the gardening and the cleaning and sewing and what not. I had enough, I told Sam if I had to work that hard for 5 cents an hour, I'd rather go to the city, but I liked the country best. So after 8 years we moved with both Allan and Edna to Waterloo and bought a house there. I worked for the Red Cross and several other jobs while the kids were in school. I went to College at night to get my business diploma and later, for a computer course. Sam went to work for the University of Waterloo as a heavy equipment operator and I started working in a landscaping office. Sam had finally found the job that suited him best and he was very happy there. But it did not last, he developed cancer and in 1978 he passed away. The following year was very hard and there are things I don't remember. We had some trouble in the family and that hurt a lot. I moved with the kids to Palmerston and I worked in a doctors office, part time. The years went by. I quit the doctor for harassment, he didn't want me to have unemployment pay, but he didn't win. I then went to work for a retirement home in Harriston and then one summer I met Ted. I married him after three months of meeting him, in 1989, and after being a widow for 11 years.

Allan and Edna had left home by then and I moved to Chatham, where Ted was still working. Ted had 5 children but only one still lived at home. It was not an easy time at first, because some of his kids resented him being married again. We were happy together though, and after Ted retired early, we bought a motor home and did a lot of traveling. It is a good thing he retired early because Ted developed cancer also and in 2001 he passed away. Another difficult time but not the same as before, I was a lot older now and more accepting and learning that God's ways are not always the same as I wanted it to be.

Edna and her husband were having marital problems, he was fooling around with other women and Edna had two little girls, so she asked me if I could come and help her, she just couldn't handle him, he was trying to take everything away from her. She had her own house when she married him and he took it all and left her with a huge bill. They split up that same year, in 2001, I stayed with her for 6 years. In 2002 I had both my hips replaced, I could hardly walk anymore and in 2008 I had a tumor removed from my neck and left ear and now I am deaf on that side. In 2010 I developed ovarian cancer and had a large tumor removed. I didn't want chemo treatment and did my own thing, with a peroxide treatment, the cancer is gone. I give the credit for that, to God, HE has helped and guided me through it all. Will it come back? I don't know, but I will go on enjoying what time I have left. I am almost 80 now and at the evening of my life, I would do it all over again, just a few changes though. I had a good life. Thank you Lord.

Wassing Photo Albums of Family Treasures

Henny's Album

Henny and Sipke (Sam) Crans on their wedding day, September 19, 1953

Winnipeg Manitoba

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Sam passed away August 13, 1978 at the age of 52 in Waterloo, Ontario

Queen of my little castle on McMeans, Transcona, Sam and I bought this small 2 bedroom home for $2.500.00, borrowed $500.00 and we had a house. Sam build a bathroom inside with running water, we still had an outhouse.

Sam and I visiting Arnold and Henny at the southside of Transcona, Manitoba, by the big CN railroad shop.

Sam and I had moved to Ontario and were showing off Allan Richard our first child to John and Jenny living in Kitchener. Happy as a lark we were.

Allan was baptized this day in Galt, Ontario, now Cambridge, we had bought a small retirement farm close to town, Sam was working for Kayson Plastic in Preston.

We have a new addition to our family, our daughter Edna Jane

The four of us. How happy we were with our little family. We had no money but some of the best times were there. Lots of company and always lots of home grown food

Allan all smiles, he got to hold his little sister Edna

Christmas time on the farm,we called it stoney acres because there were so many stones. The kids happy with their toys

Allan and Edna, ready to go to church, such sweethearts, hard to keep them clean though, lots of dirt and stones on the farm.

The last few years we lived on the farm we had 3 foster boys. On the back Patrick, Darren and Jimmy, Edna and Allan in front, with helping in the field and a large garden it sure kept me busy.

We had moved to Waterloo, on Parkwood Dr. Allan and Edna liked it there. It was a nice raised bungelow. I liked it too but it was my second choice.

Edna and Allan each got a budgie, later we found out that Edna's budgie, Charlotte was a he, she didn't care though. Charlotte it was

Sam, Allan and Edna in the kitchen

Sam had passed away and I was alone with Allan and Edna. A very sad time in my life.

Now 10 years later, the kids had grown up so fast. The best kids any mother can have and they always kept me going. Life was good again.

I did all my own sewing already for years so I am showing off one of the dresses I made

Henny and Ted Hoekstra on their wedding day, December 28, 1989 Palmerston, Ontario

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Ted passed away on May 24, 2001, in Chatham, Ontario

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Here I am married to Ted already, 11 years after Sam passed away and we were traveling in the mountains. Ted did not like me standing on that ledge he told me after.

Allan and Edna together on a picture doesn't happen very often so it has to be noted, I am proud of you both

Ted and I at Edna's wedding. Ted had given her away. I am wearing one of the last outfits I made for myself.

Ted and I attending a marriage for one of his many nieces, Ted also belonged to a large family, 4 brothers and 5 sisters

Ted and I visiting Dirk and Cora in Grand Bend, Ontario

Ted and I attending the wedding of his oldest grandson Jason in Iowa, USA

My first grand daughter Alyssa, Edna's daughter. I am now Beppe, Friesian for Grandmother

Another addition, little Stephanie, my second grand daughter.

Here is Beppe with two precious little girls

Here is Pake with Alyssa and Stephanie.

Beppe with Stephanie, growing fast, both of us, me sideways.

Edna, divorced and deprived of her kids most of the time, due to a crooked judicial system.

The girls favorite place, Macdonald, just had to have a picture taken of course

Beppe with her two favorite grand daughters, of course I can say that, I only have two.

I am visiting Allan in Edmonton, Alberta and he took me to a wonderful nursery there.

The four of them, a happy little group now

I was visiting Allan in Edmonton, Ted had passed away too by then. Allan took me on a motor bike ride and we stopped on an bridge, a passer by took the picture

Here we are all visiting Allan in Edmonton, he came over so often so they felt it was their turn to go there and I tagged along of course.

Edna and I took the girls to Florida, here we are watching the horses in the Arabian Nights show, we also went across to the Bahamas

Here I am on my 250 Honda scooter. I had a motor bike but sold it when I married Ted. Allan, Edna and I all got our license on the same day and we all three had a bike. When Ted passed away I bought the scooter.

Alyssa's first communion. Edna is upset because the X wouldn't let her sit with Alyssa, I was aching for her and the girls.Alyssa was holding Edna's hand behind her back all through the service

Stephanie couldn't sit with her Mother either and sat with an Uncle, at least we could take some pictures

My family at the Wassing family reunion in 2004, Tiverton, Ontario. Edna's X wouldn't let the girls come with her.

Allan with his two favorite nieces, showing off the new outfits he bought them

Another visit from Uncle Allan, we just have to have a picture of this

The girls in dresses Beppe made. Stephanie's is for her first communion her dad is opposed to it but Stephanie is determined

Stephanie is wearing Beppe's dress and she looked lovely, Alyssa is sitting behind her

I am visiting Edmonton and we are at a flower business, a lovely place. Edmonton is a wonderful city

Jean and I are visiting in Edmonton, she took the picture. Allan took us all over the place.

A lovely surprise, Allan send me a floral arrangement at Edna's place for Christmas

Look at them, all dressed up for a party. Alyssa and Stephanie

Here I am in Mission Texas for Christmas. Jean and I traveled there together one winter.

A family picture. The tables have turned, the girls are now living with Edna and Dave

Allan came over for my 78th birthday, a fun moment and they snapped the picture

Rick and Honor had this cake made for me. Lovely thing, tasted good too.

And of course we had to have a family picture, how fast the time goes by

Edna and Dave at the Wassing Family reunion 2011 in Tiverton. They announced their marriage plans for the 11th of November there. A happy looking couple don't you think?

Look at my lovely grand daughters, Alyssa and Stephanie, growing into ladies overnight almost

Returning to Holland for a visit right in the tulip harvesting time. In the background is the town our Dad was born, Zeerijp, Groningen

Allan and Linda are living outside of Edmonton. Linda has two daughters, Sherrilynn and Bobby

Edna proud as can be, she received her PSW certificate here. She went to college every day for a year, well done honey.

Stephanie is with her here, a very happy occasion. Congratulations.

Allan with Linda and Bobby at Canada Wonderland in London, Ontario. They had a good time I think.

Stephanie and Bobby enjoying the swimming at the Wassing family reunion 2011

My good looking son and I on the day of Edna's wedding in her house before the ceremony.

Allan came over for his sisters wedding, all dressed up. Linda made sure he had them along. Looking good son

Taped by the CTV and an interview with them and the girls as well

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Presenting Dave and Edna Jaklitsch, at the 11th hour on the 11th day of 2011 in Kitchener, Ontario

The girls here are addressed by the judge as Edna and Dave are giving them each a ring with the promise to love and help them always

Alyssa and Stephanie giving their Mother away to Dave

The happy couple, looking toward the future

Mom with her favorite daughter and a new son in law wishing them every good thing life can bring

Allan with my, soon to be, 3 grand daughters, taken last summer. He and Linda were over from Edmonton with Bobby, Linda's daughter. Allan and Linda plan to be married June, 2013.

My 80th birthday, taken at a chinese restaurant. Edna treated me to a dinner with an open house to follow at her place.

Edna had hired a cartoonist who came to the open house and did drawings of all the guest that agreed to have it done. A wonderful idea and he made me look good too. LOL

Edna took me to the Dominican Republic as a gift and this was our first room. It was to far out so we got another one, almost the same as this one.

While in Punta Cana we went on side trips with a bus like this. A jeep truck with all the air conditioning you can ask for.

My gout was acting up and I just couldn't walk anymore so a taxi took me to the park entrance, they are not allowed to go in so I still had to walk a long way.

After the daily activities as was plainly pooped and had a nice snooze by the pool. Lovely place to visit but I would not like to live there.

Allan and Edna

Allan and Linda's wedding day. June 1st, 2013. My loving family. Linda's daughter, Sherilynn (maid of honour) was added as well.

As I am in 2013, a very blessed woman.

Introducing, Sophie Marie Powers, daughter of Sherilynn and Matthew and therefore my great granddaughter.

Proud grandparents holding the new baby in her baptismal dress made from Linda's wedding dress. May God bless her.

Sherilyn and her partner became parents, so that made me a great grandmother with the new baby Sophie Marie.

Grandpa Allan with great beppe and little Sophie.

Easter 2014. Allan and his family came over from Edmonton for a surprise visit here in Ontario. My family as it is now up to date.