It is with great sadness to announce that our dear Mother, Anna Tanghe passed away in her 96th year at Woodstock General Hospital with loving family by her side.
What a full and wonderful life she had. She arrived with her Mother and sister Hermina from Belgium when she was a young child. As the story goes they were supposed to arrive in Delhi by train where her Dad was to pick them up. Somewhere along their journey, her mother, who didn’t speak English, showed a ticket person an envelope with an address of King Lake, which is where her dad worked, and that’s where they were dropped off at a “station” the size of a phone booth. They just began to wander when someone who knew they were arriving, looked at the address and took them to the farm where her dad worked and were waiting for him when he finally returned from the Delhi rail station.
A few years later she met the love of her life Godfrey Tanghe. They married and had six children Niccie, Cathie, Tony, Laurie, Jim and Tracie. Anna and Godfrey were definitely soul mates. They did everything together. Their work, family and church were everything to them.
Anna was a wonderful cook there are a couple of things we all remember, one being her delicious raisin bread, that was absolutely amazing. The other was a Christmas time favourite and that was her Angel Food Pie made with pineapple. We couldn’t wait for dessert to enjoy a piece.
When she wasn’t working her magic in the kitchen, she loved crafts. She always had a project she was working on. She loved to make a Christmas decoration for all the kids to put on their Christmas tree each year.
Side by side, first they were share growers, and then eventually owned their own farm east of Otterville until Godfrey had health issues and doctor suggested they rent it out. At that time Anna worked on the neighbours tobacco farms and Godfrey went to work for Hawkins Feed Company in Tillsonburg. In later years she worked for Mr. Bread in Tillsonburg until she retired.
After the farm was sold Anna and Godfrey moved to Woodstock to a lovely bungalow close to their eldest daughters Niccie and Cathie
After many years of hard work, Anna and Godfrey retired. They enjoyed each other’s company and spending time with family. They always held hands when travelling in their car, but never started their journey until they kissed first. Although not world travellers, they did make a trip to the east coast and several trips over the years to Alberta and British Columbia to visit family. When the children were young they also did many local camping trips together.
After Godfrey passed, Anna was able to visit her son Jim and his family in Vancouver once as well while she was still able to travel.
Life was never quite the same after her soul mate Godfrey passed away but she always had her family by her side. In her final years she had her angels and oldest daughters Niccie and Cathie to look after her and care for her needs. They are truly angels. The sisters and brothers who were not able to be there are on a daily basis; thank them from the bottom of their hearts. You made it possible for Mom to spend all but the last day of her life in her own home? A Very Special Thank You to Our Very Special Elaine.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Anna Tanghe..
Death notice for the town of: Woodstock, Province: Ontario