To pa, with love

Pa loved life and all it offered him -
including a cold beer on a warm day.
Woudrichem Hotel mei 2012

On 19 December 2012 at approx. 9am pa Fijnekam, our dearest most loving and gentle father ( in law) left us for ever. What a sadness, what a pain, what a loss we felt. Unbelievable to have him with us one minute and gone the next.


Dear pa,

In just three weeks your independence slowly ebbed, your body began it's shut down process and although you wanted to ' stay just a little longer", your time to leave us had come.

We were heartbroken yet grateful that the battle was won- that you surrendered and received eternal
peace - a fitting reward for a beautiful and honourable life. Pa, you are a fine example of fatherhood, having nurtured and guided Leen and Arie in their lives, having been a wonderful father in law for both Irene ( RIP - 24 January 2001) and then accepting me as your second daughter in law- and I know from all those who knew her and loved her - you were a loving and generous husband to ma ( RIP - 24 January 1998).

Arie, pa and Leen - Zoutelande 2007

You suffered heavy losses three years apart- there were disappointments too, yet you kept your love for life alive by the way you shared this love with those around you. Every Wednesday lunchtime you sat at our table and shared lunch. Almost every evening you cooked a meal for you and Arie, every Saturday you visited tante Jaantje and most days, weather permitting,  you sat along the river watching the boats sail by accompanied 30 years long with your trusty friend(s) Rando I, II and III till July 2006 when your third German Shepperd died. Again you lost something dear to your heart.

Pa, you lived a full life, shared what you had in abundance and treated others with respect - you were loved by many and this became clear the day we committed your earthly body to the ground. What a crowd- what an attention, what a love surrounded us that day.

Today loomed, the past months you have been with us in memories and conversations. It was almost as if you hadn't quite left. Today the three of us will share our evening meal- topic of conversation- bet you can't guess what it will be? This past year, despite the highs- we've had many lows. Letting you go is harder than we thought it would be.

Dear darling pa, Rest in Peace - it is no more than you deserve. Go be with the angels and watch over us.

With love

Leen, Arie and Anita