Obituary Overview
SMEENK (nee Bontje), Apolonia Cornelia
Apolonia (Pauline) Smeenk, left us on Sunday afternoon July 22, 50 days short of her 94th birthday, having been pre-deceased by her husband Ted.
While regal in her manner, she was also very strong and so very hard-working. She longed to return “home” these last few years. It was from that lively fortress of security, harmony and home-cooking that she gave her warm and gracious best to the legions who entered there, and to her nine children (and their armies of friends) that she kindled to maturity: Frank (Jan Tufford), Josie Jansen (late Pete Jansen), Robby (Sylvie Desrosiers), Helena Smeenk Pritchard (Wayne Pritchard), Brian (Susan Richardson), Ted (Maria Roos), Ben (Monique Ceresney), Thomas (Sandy Lobovsky), and Richard (Kyla Scullion).
The 16 grandchildren they presented to her were her most precious gifts: (Nathan (Jeanna), Sarah (Sean), Jennifer (Steve), Paul (Stacey), Christopher (Carrie), Katie (Kyle), Andrew, Megan, Winston, KC (Paul), Carly (Eric), Taylor, Olivia, Austin, Conrad and Cooper), until they in turn gave her 12 3/4 even more adored great grandchildren (Peter, Theo, Jolyn, Corben, Griffin, Coco, Harlow, Gareth, Troy, Sapphire, Carter and Max). But she also loved the 40-odd boys of the St. Michael’s Parish Cub Pack that she re-started and to whom she was known as Bagheera. Though she never met a child who didn’t earn her smile and a place in her heart, boys being boys were her fondest specialty.
Pauline passed away peacefully surrounded by family, in London, Ontario. She was born in Voorburg, the Netherlands and, after surviving WWII there (she would never again take food for granted), she and husband Theodore (Ted) immigrated to Canada in 1951 with their first 3 children. Pre-deceased by Ted in 2001, she leaves sister Mary/Riet (Pete, deceased) Weerdenburg of London, brother Adrian Bontje (Pearl Wollin) of Hawaii, brother
William Bontje (Ria) and brother-in-law Henk Van Trierum in the Netherlands. She’s been pre-deceased by sisters and brothers-in-law Corrie & Ted Weerdenburg of Burlington, Ont.; Clasien & Will DeGraaf, Lena & Gerard Nan, and Johanna/Joke Van Trierum all of the Netherlands. She also leaves behind brigades of admiring nieces, nephews and godchildren and is fondly remembered by many in-laws in Canada and Netherlands and her 8 step grandchildren.
A Celebration of the Life of Pauline will take place at the Civic Garden Centre, 625 Springbank Drive, London, ON, N6K 4T1, from 1:00 until 5:00 on Saturday, July 28th, 2018. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Merit Award Bursary Program (www.meritaward.ca) or The ILC Chronic Pain and Ehlers Danlos Charitable Foundation (www.theilcfoundation.org) would be gratefully appreciated
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Apolonia Cornelia Smeenk nee Bontje 2018.source
Death notice for the town of: London, Province: Ontario
My Tante Plonie was a constant friend to me and my family. She and my Ome Ted were the reason we came to Canada. Indeed she was a courageous , strong and loving woman. An affectionate , supportive, mother, spouse and friend. The door was always open to my parents and then after my Dad passed, to our own dear mother.
I am very happy that I did have some visits with her in the last few years! She will always be cherished forever in my mind.
Unfortunately we will not be able to attend her service Saturday as we have a brand new baby to support in Toronto. But my thoughts and prayers will be with you.
Mijn lieve, warme, hartelijke en altijd belangstellende tante Plonie is overleden. De tante die zo leek op mijn eigen moeder, haar oudste zus. Ze waren zo gek op elkaar. Helaas leefden ze erg ver van elkaar in Canada en Nederland, maar gelukkig hebben ze elkaar veel kunnen bezoeken en deelden hun gezinnen dezelfde warmte. Er is afscheid genomen van tante Plonie op de geboortedag van haar zus Clasien. Hun zielen zullen verbonden zijn. In liefdevolle herinnering. Leonie de Graaf (en Peter).