Willempje Schaap

Willempje Schaap

1926 - 2021

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Willempje

Obituary of Willempje Schaap

A private livestreamed family memorial service will be held on Friday, January 14, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at Birchwood Funeral Chapel, Steinbach, MB.

Willempje Schaap (Heijnen) aged 95 years, of Ste. Anne, MB., passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 22, 2021, at Ste. Anne Hospital.

Wilma is survived by four daughters: Martha (Gil), Catharina (Marv Kehler), Annette (Larry Plett) and Wilma (Maurice Semko); three sons: Bill, Hank (Pearl) and Harry; 16 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren. Wilma also leaves to mourn her passing one sister Eefje Vedder and one sister-in-law Martje Schaap, both in the Netherlands.

She was predeceased by her husband Jan, her eldest son Jan, her parents Willem and Trijntje Heijnen and her brother Henk Heijnen.

She was born February 23rd, 1926. Mom was the second child and first daughter of two for Willem and Catharina Heijnen. Mom was born in very difficult times and life was only made tougher through our mothers’ teen years which coincided with World War 2. The suffering of the war years helped prepare our mom for the hard times ahead.

Our Mother met the love of her life during the war and married Jan Schaap on Aug 23, 1946. Together with two children in tow and one in cargo they made the long journey to Canada by ship in 1952. Mom quickly learned the language and fell in love with Canada. Mom loved to visit the Netherlands and relatives there, but Canada was home and moms chosen country.

Our Mom raised eight children, which was no easy task. There were good times and bad. But we always had food on the table, a roof over our heads and clean clothes to wear. Life was always busy for mom and there were no holidays, except that one glorious day a year that dad always made sure we celebrated, Mothers Day. Wow. Lucky Lady.

To learn English in this new country mom turned to reading. Mom kept up on current events and loved reading about history or stories that would describe and give life to the times. It was always possible to have great discussions with her about history, politics, religion and oh those ethical questions. Discussions, disagreements at times with no conclusions, but no matter, we did not have to agree. If we listened to each other we might learn from each other.

Mom was a faithful believer in God and Jesus. Mom lived her life accordingly and in later years, when going to church became too difficult, mom enjoyed watching services on the TV. These services became very important and were an enjoyable part of a weekly routine.

Although our mom was a believer in God, mom was also a believer in science. Mom grew up in a time before most of our common day vaccines were invented. The effects and devastation caused by diseases such as polio, whooping cough, rubella etc. could not go unnoticed by those living in that time. Mom believed that God guided the hands of the doctors and scientists to produce these life saving medicines. So, in essence the vaccines come from God, and therefore they should be utilized to the benefit of all. Mom believed everyone had a role to play and everyone should do their part, get vaccinated.

The family wishes to thank the doctors, nurses and all health care providers at the Ste. Anne Hospital for the excellent care our mother received there in the last month. A special thank you to our brother Bill for making it possible for mom to stay at home where mom wanted to be.

Psalm 121:

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

A private interment was held on Thursday, December 30, 2021, at Green Acres Cemetery, Winnipeg, MB.

A private livestreamed family memorial service will be held on Friday, January 14, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at Birchwood Funeral Chapel, Steinbach, MB.