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Obituary for
Willem van den Hoek
Willem van den Hoek
July 31, 1949 – March 6, 2025
Willem: husband, father, Opa, passed away after a lifetime of following his dreams in Canada, at age 75 and 55 years of marriage.
Survived by wife, Maja; six children, Willem (Potter), Cees (Kathy), Margaretha (Charles), Cornelia (Cory), Wolfsen (Fumiko), Ben (Marlee), and brothers, Teun (Gerrie) and Martin.
As Opa he leaves behind a legacy of fourteen grandsons and one granddaughter, Hendrikus, Maximus, Reuben, Oscar, Yamato, Garrett, Nico, Hiroto, Kaito, Cees, Makoto, Duncan, Luther, Ririko, and Victor. Ranging in age from seventeen years to just six months.
Predeceased by his parents, Willem and Margaretha van den Hoek.
Born in the Netherlands, he immigrated to Canada with Maja in 1970, shortly after they were married. After spending some years in BC, they drove across Canada eventually settling in Economy, NS. Establishing a homestead there where Willem and Maja started to make cheese in 1981. In 1990, the family picked up and moved to the current location in Upper Economy. Willem continued to pioneer the modern Canadian Artisanal Cheese Movement by defying the Dairy Standards and gaining National fame for his creation of the coveted Dragon’s Breath Blue cheese. Here they developed their extensive hobby farm and the back forty network of gardens, trails and endless ponds….aka…Willem’s Folly.
He will be fondly remembered as a dreamer, a builder of ponds, a cheese maker, and “a discusser” (arguing every side of a subject, controversial or not).
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in Willem’s memory to the Colchester Foodbank or the Canadian Cancer Society.
Please join us celebrating Willem’s life on March 14, 2025. The service is at 1:30 PM with reception/fellowship to follow at The Peg in Masstown, NS.
2025
colchester community funeral home
Death notice for the town of: Truro, Province: Nova Scotia
death notice Willem
van den Hoek 2025
obituaries notice Willem
van den Hoek 2025
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Willem
van den Hoek 2025 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
