Johanna Van Wensem (1923-2020)

VAN WENSEM, BUTTER

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 10/23/2020 at 18:53:52

Johanna Van Wensem, nee den Butter April 13, 1923 - October 21, 2020
Born in Streefkerk, Netherlands, she was the third in a family of 4 girls and 4 boys. She married Gerrit Jacob Van Wensem on March 25, 1948 and together they had 2 sons, Leo born 1951 in Netherlands, and George, born 1955 after they immigrated to Canada in 1953. Johanna missed her own family (she was the only one of her family that immigrated from Netherlands) but Gerrit, who passed away in 2000, had a brother (Govert) and sister (Marie) who also immigrated to BC. If you were family or an acquaintance of Johanna’s, you had a faithful friend! She never lost touch with her family in the Netherlands and never lost an opportunity to visit regularly with friends and family in Canada. Johanna had opinions and thoughts about everything and everyone and she shared these freely. You always knew exactly how she felt and she often had a humourous saying or anecdote to share in the communication of her thoughts and opinions. Johanna lived in Chilliwack for many years where she was a faithful member of the Cornerstone Christian Reformed Church and volunteered with the Red Cross and the Retired Government Employee Union. Even into her early 90s, she and a few other members of the Church would regularly visit and bring cookies and cakes to share with the residents of a care home in Chilliwack (she called them “the Oldies” even though many of them were younger than she was).

In her last several years she was afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease and moved into a care home in Vernon, BC where her son Leo lived. The disease robbed her of all but a few of her memories and relationships. She looked forward to being with her Lord and Saviour and reconnecting with all her friends and relatives.

Johanna is survived by her sons Leo (Betty) and George (Shelly); grandchildren: Angela, Michael, Brian and Casey; and great-grandchildren Joelle, Ezra, Gerrit, Rhys and Adia