ANNIE VAN NISTELROOY ~ March 4, 1929- April 18, 2010 Beloved wife of Gerard Van Nistelrooy of Lethbridge, Alberta, Annie passed away in St. Michael’s Care Centre at the age of 81 after a lengthy illness.
Born Antonetta Jacoba Van Hassel in Hertogenbosch, NB, Holland on March 4, 1929, Mom was the second child of eight. Her childhood was disrupted by WWII and the death of both her older sister and mother when Annie was 15. Her father never remarried, and Annie became the mother for her siblings during the next 10 years. This set the tone for her life, as Mom was always happiest when surrounded by a family she could take care of. She met Gerard - the love of her life - at a dance in 1951. After a three year courtship, they married and with typical Dutch frugality, combined their honeymoon with a boat trip as they emigrated to Canada. Mom was particularly homesick, and Dad says she would gladly have crawled back to Holland that first year. Things got better with the arrival of their first child Frank in 1955. Over the next 10 years, six more children followed. A farm of their own became a reality in 1962 when they purchased their first quarter section of land in Iron Springs. The farm grew along with the family, cattle, hogs, sugar beets, hay, peas and grain; a garden big enough to feed all of us and the myriad friends we brought home; mother was content. Our family were members of St. Catherine’s Parish in Picture Butte, and Mom was a life member of the CWL Chapter there and in Lethbridge. As we children grew up and married, Mom made room in the family for each new addition. She had love enough for everyone - and like the Good Lord - somehow always managed to turn a small meal into a five course feast with nary a moment of notice. Mom is survived by her loving husband of 56 years, Gerard; her daughter MaryAnne (Soren Christensen) and their children Shane (Whitney), Sondra, and Jamie; son Frank (Helen) and their children Charity (Mike) Fleischhauer (Jayden, Brody, Hadlee, Parker), Jenny, Nikki, and Shawn (Michelle) (Jessa and Barrett); son John (Bonnie) and their children Jeff and Jodie; son Henry (Wendy) and their children Jillian, Nathan and Brennan; son Albert (Sheri) and their children Samantha (Steve) Broderson (McKinley, Austin and Grace), Braden (Joelyne) and Stephanie; son Martin (Jackie) and their children Diyon, Kenzie, Devon and Landon; son Ken (Karen) and their children Karlah (Dave) Duquette (Marrisa and Rylan) and Dayton. Mom was predeceased by granddaughter Adrienne.
The Van Nistelrooy Family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the staff at St. Michaels Care Centre for the special care and attention which you extended to Mom and all of our family during the time Mom was there. You are special people in an often thankless job; words cannot adequately express how much you all meant to us in our time of need.
A Prayer Service will be held at OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2405 - 12th Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB, on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, at 7:30 P.M. with Maureen Condon Horon officiating.
A Funeral Mass will be held at OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2405 - 12th Avenue South, Lethbridge, AB, on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 11:00 A.M. with Reverend Tim Boyle, Celebrant.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that those so wishing would donate to the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen, 802-2A Avenue North, Lethbridge, AB T1H 0C9, or the Interfaith Food Bank Society of Lethbridge, 1116-3 Avenue North, Lethbridge, AB, T1H 0H6.
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
