Willem Rebel
1926-2022
On Saturday January 15, 2022 Willem Klaas Rebel ‘Bill’ (95
years of age) passed peacefully away in Strathroy
Ont.
Bill’s life story is quite a remarkable one. Born in the
Netherlands on July 8, 1926 his childhood spanned the great
depression, orphaned as a young boy when his father passed away from a
bacterial infection (before penicillin was widely used as an
antibiotic) and his mother was losing a battle against cancer. He met
Elisabeth for the first time when under the guardianship of his older
brother who was teaching grade school in her hometown of Den Helder.
His adolescent years were marred by growing up under the Nazi
occupation of the Netherlands during WWII.
In the early 1950’s he met Elisabeth again and they married
in 1952. They immigrated to Canada with their four eldest children
settling first in Granby Que and then subsequently
Montreal.
He is survived by his wife Elisabeth of nearly 70 years of
marriage, six children, and seventeen grandchildren. The proudest
moments of his life was seeing his children graduate from
University and subsequently prosper. Two became surgeons, a principal,
an engineer, a seminary graduate, and a chemist. He was
equally proud of his grandchildren and their
achievements.
The times that he lived in are truly amazing. He remembers
being a child who got to ride in the horse-drawn wagon that delivered
coal to people’s houses to the present and navigating the World Wide
Web on his computer. A truly remarkable life.
A Funeral Service will be conducted at Strathroy Westmount
Christian Reformed Church, 405 Drury Lane, Strathroy, Ontario on
Saturday, January 22, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. with visitation from 1:30 p.m.
Interment to follow in Oakland Cemetery, Glencoe, Ontario.
If you wish to attend the visitation and/or
funeral service please call the Evans Funeral Home (519) 451-9350 or
email evansfuneralhome@execulink.com and reference “Rebel”
in the subject line. Include your name and phone number for all
members of your group.
*NOTE*: As per the directive of the Bereavement
Authority of Ontario, attendance numbers will be restricted and masks
are mandatory.
Donations to the charity of choice would be appreciated.
Online condolences can be expressed at www.evansfh.ca
A tree will be planted, by the Evans Funeral Home, as a
living memorial to Willem Rebel.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Willem Rebel 19262022..
Death notice for the town of: London, Province: Ontario