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Goossens, Nellie Elsie (nee Legein) (March 24, 1927 – May 18, 2024) –
At two years old, Nellie was carried by her mom, Amandina, onto an ocean liner, sailing from Belgium to join her father Jerome on the Canadian prairies. It was a tough pioneer life, complete with living in a sod hut, riding a horse to school and being pulled by dogsled on the frozen Woodland River. After considerable hardship, the family left the prairies in the mid thirties and mom and her family settled in the Hamilton area where her brother Oscar was born. Nellie’s father Jerome believed in education for females and her parents were proud when “Nurse Nellie” graduated from St Joseph’s School of Nursing in 1949. In 1950 she married Rene Goossens (predeceased) and they were a dynamic couple for 71 loving years. Together they raised five children: Lee (Roland), Carol (Roger), Brian (Sue), Diane (Brian) and Jan (Margot). They had a fine crop of nine grandkids and seven great grandkids! Rene and Nellie continued to focus on education, and they were proud that all their kids earned university degrees.
Mom was always an independent woman, ahead of her time. She insisted on being called Mrs. Nellie Goossens, not Mrs. Rene Goossens. Her nursing, organizational skills and her perfectionism were paramount to running the family tobacco and trout farms. Hard work was nothing to Nellie. During harvest she was up before dawn, cooking for her family and the priming gang, doing laundry and overseeing the farm’s bookkeeping.
When the kids were involved in school activities, she was there to ferry them around. She and dad seldom missed a basketball game. In her ‘spare time’ Mom was actively involved in the Catholic Women’s League, the Tillsonburg Curling Club, the Cancer Society, Tillsonburg Hospital Auxiliary’s Extravaganza, and the Ingersoll and Norwich Quilters Guilds. Mom was an avid quilter and will lovingly be remembered through the many beautiful quilts she bestowed on her family.
Nellie was always the ‘energizer bunny’ and could frequently be seen “hoofing” it down the streets of Tillsonburg, with age barely slowing her pace. While Dad retired at 80, mom never did retire and that work ethic has extended to all of her children. `
“Bye for now”, was how mom ended her phone calls. Bye for now mom, you will be missed.
Public Celebration of Life will be held between 2:00-4:00 pm on Saturday, May 25th at the Tillsonburg Soccer Club (275 Quarter Town Line), followed by private internment. Nellie’s favourite colour was blue so please consider wearing a bit of blue when you come. Friends, neighbours and relatives can share favourite memories, express personal condolences, upload photos, or in lieu of flowers contribute memorial donations to any charity of your choice via Nellie’s online tribute page at www.verhoevefuneralhomes.com or by contacting the Maurice J. Verhoeve Funeral Homes- Burial and Cremation Services Inc., 262 Broadway, Tillsonburg (519)842-4238, entrusted with arrangements.
“Special thanks to Fox Hollow All Seniors Care, London, Ontario for their exceptional care of mom and dad.”
May 18th 2024
Death notice for the town of: Tillsonburg, Province: Ontario
death notice Nellie Elsie Legein Goossens May 18th 2024
obituaries notice Nellie Elsie Legein Goossens May 18th 2024
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Nellie Elsie Legein Goossens May 18th 2024 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
