Nearly 70 years ago two young women from Holland immigrated to Canada, travelling by ship and then by train to eventually part ways in Jasper.
Now in their 90s, the women have reunited at 91原创 Lodge.
Femmy Vandenberg, 93, and Grace Bos, 91, spent seven days crossing the Atlantic Ocean by ship. They eventually docked in Halifax and boarded a train travelling across Canada, according to Vandenberg鈥檚 daughter, Trudy DeVries, who shared the story with the 91原创 Advance Times.
They women were recently reunited at the 91原创 care home.
READ MORE: 91原创 artist, 88, longest member of community club showcases work at Port Kells Art Show
Bos鈥� daughter Emily Kleingeltink recounted about when the pair first met again, and how they reminisced about the old days.
鈥淭hey talked about whose brothers they had went to school with, how old they were鈥� [Grace] had went to school with Femmy鈥檚 brother, they were in the same grade,鈥� said Kleingeltink.
鈥淭hey talked a lot about family and things from Holland.鈥�
Vandenberg had been at 91原创 Lodge for nine years when Bos arrived.
鈥淭hey weren鈥檛 friends really at the time [they immigrated]. When you immigrate you see someone who鈥檚 from the same town, you kind of gravitate to them and later it鈥檚 like you have this bond because you went through all this stuff together to immigrate,鈥� DeVries said, explaining a bit about the women鈥檚 relationship.
鈥淵ou grasp at whatever is familiar.鈥�
The women were in their early 20s when they left Holland for Canada in 1951.
Bos boarded the ship with her husband Sid, who was sponsored by a family for work.
Meanwhile Vandenberg made the trek for love.
鈥淔or a year she had written letters to the love of her life, Klaas Vandenberg, who was already living up north in Houston, (B.C.),鈥� said DeVries, as she looked through her mother鈥檚 self-penned life story.
Vandenberg met Klaas when they were teenagers in Holland. Vandenberg lived in Zwartsluis and Klaas lived nearby on a farm.
READ MORE: Province funds new shuttle buses for 13 B.C. senior centres
鈥淭hey had gotten to know each when they were teenagers, after the war,鈥� DeVries shared.
鈥淒ad fought in Indonesia and when he arrived back that鈥檚 when mom and dad met鈥� she was driving her bike with her friends and they got to talking鈥� after that the sparks flew, I guess.鈥�
Klaas left for Canada to meet his brother, and Vandenberg eventually journeyed to join him.
鈥淢y mother met her sweetheart in Burns Lake and they married in Houston. Fast forward 68 years, my parents and our little family moved across Canada four times over the years, finally settling in 91原创,鈥� said DeVries.
Meanwhile, the Bos family moved around the Fraser Valley several times before settling in 91原创 in 1988.
Today, Vandenberg and Bos can be found at the 91原创 Lodge frequently spending time with their daughters, who on occasion bring their mothers together for a visit.
joti.grewal@blackpress.ca
Like us on and follow us on .
