Obituary of Wilhelmina Maria Westenenk

The family of Wilhelmina Westenenk is saddened to announce her death on January 3, 2016. She died peacefully at her home in the Antigonish Manor in her 90th year. She accepted and lived her final illness with grace and dignity and the support of her family. As a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she was a woman of courage and service. This was evident when she immigrated to Canada as a new bride in 1949, laying the foundation for a strong family. She was a hard-working woman of many talents which she shared with her family, her parish, the CWL, the community of St. Andrew’s, the Antigonish Manor, and her many friends. She cherished family Sunday lunches, welcoming visitors, including many Coady students, sewing and knitting for her family, her house plants; feeding her bird visitors and showing her competitive spirit while playing cards. She was a woman of strong faith and relied on her prayer time and the Mass to guide her through the challenges of the years, giving her family a strong spiritual foundation. She is survived by John, her husband of 66 years, her children, Minnie (Henry vandeWiel), MaryAnn Forbes, Mary (Denny vandenHeuvel), Annetta, Gary (Anne Marie MacEachern), 16 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, sister, Diny Vosman and many nieces and nephews in Canada and Holland. She was pre-deceased by 3 brothers, and 2 sisters in Holland, and son-in-law Jerome Forbes. We are left with wonderful memories and respect for the love she showed to all of us. Visitation 2-4 and 7-9 pm Wednesday, Jan 6, in MacIsaac Funeral Home, 61 Pleasant St., Antigonish. Funeral Mass 10:30 Thursday in St. Andrew’s Church, St. Andrew’s, Rev. Gary MacPherson presiding. Burial in the parish cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations will be gratefully accepted for Palliative Care, at St. Martha’s Hospital in Antigonish or Wishing Wells Society.