HEINEN, Gerty
Posted: July 27th, 2021
Gerty Heinen
1948 – 2021
Gerty Heinen was born in Bunschoten, the Netherlands September 15,1948, the youngest of nine children, and passed into the loving arms of her Saviour July 23, 2021.
She arrived in Canada along with her parents and five older brothers in June, 1955, coming to the Barhill area. She attended school in Turin and Picture Butte. Following graduation from Picture Butte High School she attended Lethbridge Community College and then the University of Lethbridge to pursue a Bachelor of Education. She began her teaching career at Immanuel Christian School in Lethbridge. With the exception of a year’s leave for the school year 1974-75 which she spent in Holland working as a receptionist, she continued her teaching career there until 2003 when illness prevented her from returning to the classroom. Summer vacations were spent travelling – one of her loves – as she travelled many times with friends throughout Europe and other continents. As her mobility decreased, she was grateful to be able to continue to live in her own home with the assistance of a caregiver. She spent many hours translating family histories from Dutch into English for people across Canada and the United States.
She is survived by her older brothers Frank (Jeannette), Henry (Linda), Roelof (Fern) and William (Darlene) and many nieces and nephews in Canada and the Netherlands. She was predeceased by her parents Roelof (1979) and Jannettje (1987), brothers Arie (1988), Bart (2000), John (2001) and sister Stiena (1997).
A private Funeral Service will be held at Iron Springs Christian Reformed Church Wednesday, July 28, 2021, preceded by internment at Huntsville Cemetery.
For those who wish, the service will be live-streamed and may be accessed at the Iron Springs CRC website and then following https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCxcWvkCqYjQJ6TTdg4EgtMg
Flowers are gratefully declined. For those who wish, donations may be directed to Jack Ady Cancer Centre 960 19 St S, Lethbridge, AB T1J 1W5.
Visit www.mbfunerals.com to send a condolence.