Psalm 116: 1 “I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.” KLAAS VELDMAN, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend went home to his Lord and Savior on Monday, July 30, 2012 at the age of 78. Klaas was born in Klazienaveen, Drenthe, The Netherlands, on March 30, 1934. He was one of eleven children with four sisters and six brothers. Klaas came to Canada in 1952 and worked in the sugar beet fields. He married Teuny, the love of his life, on April 2, 1964. In 1957 he purchased a farm with his brothers and worked with them until he took a job in the meat packing industry, where he worked tirelessly until he retired in 1997. Klaas was a humble, generous and hardworking husband and father who always put others before himself. He will be missed by all who knew him. Klaas was known for his love for his Lord, his family and his Church. He lived each day with the full assurance of faith. He served many times as an elder and loved the beauty, majesty and richness of the Reformed faith. He immersed himself in Scripture and loved reading about matters of faith. He had a passion for missions and always stressed the importance of training young men for the ministry. Even as he struggled through two bouts of lung cancer and the heart attack that suddenly took his life, he constantly let everyone around him know that he trusted God’s plan for him and was ready for the glory of heaven at any time.
Psalm 84:10 “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”
Klaas is survived by his loving wife of 48 years Teuny (Tina) Veldman; four children: Grace (Stan) Konynenbelt, Anne (Duane) Konynenbelt, Edgar (Elaine) Veldman and Gerald (Nicole) Veldman; twelve grandchildren: Alex (Fianc?e Stephanie Brandsma) and Trevor (Julie) Konynenbelt, Danielle (David) Jensen, Rebecca, Stephanie and Davis Konynenbelt, Kenton , Hannah, Evan, Christian, Brittany and Caitlyn Veldman; three great grandchildren: Hudson Jensen, Sophia and Ava-Lynn Konynenbelt; brother Harm (Henny) and sisters Femmie Slagter and Jean Hendriks; numerous brothers and sisters-in-law; nieces and nephews; close friend and cousin Riet Scheffer; and his much loved in-law Voordendag family in Holland.
Klaas was preceded in death by his precious grandson Nicholas; his parents Egbert and Grietje Veldman; his parents in-law Gerrit and Antje Voordendag; sisters Bruina Veldman and Grietje (Frits) Visser; brothers Hendrik (Wiek), Jan (Wimke), Bruin (Anne), Gerrit (Corrie) and Derk Veldman; brothers-in-law Harry Slagter, Ben Hendriks and Ad v.d. Klein; and his close friend and brother in Christ, Herman Scheffer. In lieu of flowers in memory of Klaas, donations may be made to Mid America Reformed Seminary (www.midamerica.edu).
A private interment will take place with family at Mountain View Cemetery on Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 10:00a.m.
A Funeral Service will be held at TRINITY UNITED REFORMED CHURCH, 1100 - 40 Avenue North, Lethbridge, Alberta on Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 11:00a.m. with Reverend W. Oord officiating.
Honoured to serve the family, CORNERSTONE FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORIUM, 2800 Mayor Magrath Drive South, Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 7B1. Telephone 403-381-7777. E-mail: care@cornerstonefh.ca
