Peacefully with family at her side, our dear mother, mother-in-law and grandmother, Ann de Graaf, passed away at Park Manor Care Home. She was predeceased by her parents Johan and Itjis, and brother Jan, as well as her husband of 59 years Hendrik (Henk) de Graaf. She will be lovingly remembered by her son Rolf (Cara), son Milco (Joceline), daughter Mariska (Allan Claydon) and son Gordon, as well as her treasured grandchildren Matthew, Jeremy (Carlee), and Christopher de Graaf, and Corey and Cassidy Claydon. She also leaves many special friends, neighbors and co-workers.
Ann had an interesting and sometimes difficult life journey, yet those who knew her would only see her ever pleasant personality. She was born and living in Indonesia during the war, where her father passed away in a concentration camp in 1945, resulting in her emigrating to The Netherlands with her mom and brother. Her mother passed away from cancer while Ann was still only a teenager. It was there that she met Henk, got married in 1959 and began raising a family. With three young children they made the move all the way to Flin Flon, Manitoba where they resided for a few years and had their fourth child. Relocating to Winnipeg in 1969, Transcona eventually became Ann’s community and she worked for Woolco and Walmart for many years until retirement, managing the men’s wear department and resulting in no shortage of socks and underwear for her boys!
Ann will be missed by her grandchildren for her long phone conversations and supersized dessert portions (even if you asked for small) and the everlasting love she showed them. She was a great mom, grandmother, and had the most amazing green thumb. Her plants and flowers always flourished and looked beautiful. She had a great sense of humor and loved re-runs of Three’s Company. Universally liked because of her considerate and welcoming nature, her children’s friends always commented on her kindness.
Mom was diagnosed with dementia and hospitalized in late 2016, entering supportive housing at Windsor Park Place in early 2017, and Park Manor Care Home in 2019. She overcame both appendicitis and then Covid over the last several months. The family would like to thank all of mom’s wonderful physicians, nurses, health care aides, social workers and other care home staff that helped her so much over the last several years. Thank you also to Season’s Funeral Home for their care and support. A private family memorial will take place next spring. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Ann’s name to the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Johanna de Graaf Monday December 14th 2020..
Death notice for the town of: Oakbank, Province: Manitoba