May 20 1930 to May 16 2020
It is with much love that we mourn the loss of Dineke. She was an amazing woman, wife, mother, Oma, Tante, cousin, sister, daughter and friend. She loved gezelligheid more than anything. No outing was complete without stopping for coffee and a treat. It was used as both bribery and reward. She loved her family more than anything and this led her on many trips a year to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or any special occasion. Many times, a surprise for the person celebrating.
If there was music playing, she was the first to get up and dance, especially with the children. She created amazing birthdays for her children that included elaborate cookie cakes, backyard games and scavenger hunts. If you were looking for a story, she would read to you for hours.
Her life started in Sumba, Indonesia, there she lived with her siblings, with the freedom to run barefoot with her animal’s in-between lessons. The joys of her childhood, of play and of personal freedom nurtured her inner child for a lifetime. That inner child and her deep spirituality, saw her through the difficult years in a Japanese Internment Camp for the duration of the Second World War, and supported her for almost 90 years.
Dineke sailed to the Netherlands in 1946 to complete her education. She studied and worked in Physical Education until moving to Ontario, Canada, in 1957 to pursue a career in Occupational Therapy. She continued her Canadian adventure by coming to St. Albert where she met and married Brian Taylor in 1961.
Dineke and Brian lived and worked in Canada, England and the Netherlands. Their children show their joy in adventure. Ernst born in Calgary, Ronald in Holland, Barbara in England, Richard in Ottawa and Catharyn in Edmonton after they moved their house and children, in their little Volkswagen, from Ottawa to settle in St. Albert, Alberta.
She lived in her house in St. Albert for 50 years with many trips back to Holland to maintain the close family ties there. When her children left she travelled to where they were to continue on the traditions of celebration with her grandkids.
She is survived by her husband Brian Taylor, by all of her five children and their partners, nine grandchildren and one great grandchild, three of her four siblings and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Dineke was singing and dancing up until just a few weeks ago. She is the foundation and the glue that has bonded a family closely together across 3 continents and as many oceans. We see her dancing, with balloons, and a glass of fine red wine. More than anything she wanted to be home to celebrate her 90th birthday. So on her birthday we had a virtual gathering across those 3 continents and lifted a glass to you Dineke and celebrated your 90th birthday. Gezelligheid to the end.
A celebration of life will be announced at a later date.
