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On July 4, 2023, Geerdina (Dina) Maria Driessen died, having reached her 95th birthday, leaving her family to celebrate and reflect on her long and full life. Dina (nee van Lieshout) was born in Heeswijk, North Brabant, The Netherlands, on June 20, 1928. After marrying Mark on February 9, 1954 (his birthday), they both emigrated to Canada, settling near Picture Butte as farm labourers. Shortly thereafter, they moved to an acreage on the edge of Forest Lawn, near Calgary, Alberta, where Mark worked at Calgary Packers meat packing plant. They remained there until 1964, when they sold the acreage and bought a farm at Tiger Lily, Alberta. They farmed there until 1989, when they sold the farm and moved to another at Topland, Alberta, where they remained until they retired to Barrhead in 1997. After Mark’s death in November of that year, Dina continued to live in the house until moving, first to Hillcrest and then to the Keir Care Centre.
Our Mom embraced her Canadian home. She loved the expanse of Alberta and its mountains and prairies. Returning to The Netherlands to visit family was important to her, but equally so was returning to her Alberta home. She saw extraordinary beauty in the natural world – in the Northern Lights, in waterfalls, in tall poplar trees and in song birds. She preferred wildflowers to bouquets of roses, a walk through the pasture to a manicured park. Mom will always be remembered for her calm demeanor, a necessary attribute to the raising of ten children born within a span of 12 years! She was the calm at the centre of the storm throughout her life. Although she attended formal school only until the equivalency of Grade 7, Mom viewed life as a continuing education. She was a voracious reader of history, religion, politics and cultures. Books gave her access to knowledge and took her to places out of her reach in everyday life. She was a deep thinker, well able to hold her own in complex debates, and a font of information and sage advice to her family. Her children will be ever grateful to her for her moral example and for teaching them the importance of tolerance and consideration for others. She was a devout Roman Catholic, practicing her faith daily with her blessed Mother Mary always in her prayers, yet she had a deep respect for all faiths and an open mind to our changing world. Most importantly of all, Mom will be remembered for her undying love for Mark, and her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. The family is extremely grateful for having had the opportunity to spend so much time with “Mom”, “Oma” and “Great-Oma” before her death. She was predeceased by her husband, Mark, her son, Lambert (Alison, Jo), and her daughter, Christine (Lorne). She is survived by her daughter, Monica (Brian); daughter, Stephanie (Kelsey); daughter, Liesbeth (Gary);son, Paul(Christine); daughter, Annette; daughter, Martina (Randy); son, Adrian; and son, Martin (Madelaine). She is also survived by 27 grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren, with another on the way; sister, Riki; brother, Willy; together with extended family members too numerous to count!
The family sincerely thanks all those who cared for our Mom in her later years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations instead be made directly to the Cross Cancer Institute, the Barrhead Public Library or any charity of choice.
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June 20 1928 July 4 2023 95 Years Old
Death notice for the town of: Westlock, Province: Alberta
death notice Geerdina Dina Maria Driessen June 20 1928 July 4 2023 95 Years Old
obituaries notice Geerdina Dina Maria Driessen June 20 1928 July 4 2023 95 Years Old
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Geerdina Dina Maria Driessen June 20 1928 July 4 2023 95 Years Old and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
