Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1988-05-11, Page 13THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1988. PAGE 13. Relatives from Holland and California Journeyed to Blyth Saturday to help celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of Johannes and Antje Verburg. Verburgs celebrate 50 years of marriage Friends and relatives from as far away as Holland and California helped Johannes and Antje Ver­ burg celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary at a gathering at the Blyth and District Community Centre. On May 4, 1938 Johannes Verburg and Antje DeJoode were united in marriage in a small village of Moordrecht, Holland. Jo and Antje lived in Zevenhuizen, Holland for 11 years where Jo worked as a farmhand. Antje spent her time as a mother and wife looking after five small children. These times were hard for the Verburg family since the war was going on in Holland during this time. Jo realized that there was no opportunity in Holland to own his own farm so he packed his family off to Canada. They arrived in Quebec in the spring of 1949, they took the train through some of the roughest rocky areas of Quebec and Jo wondered why he was here, the land could not be farmed here. The first few days were very discouraging until they gotto southwestern Ontario, arriv­ ing in Seaforth. They discovered the farmland to be very good. Russel Coleman of Seaforth was Jo and Antje’s sponsors. Russel met the family at the train station and took them to his second farm house where the Coleman’s had provided the family with all the essentials: beds, table, chairs, food and etc. on the day that they arrived. They couldn’t communicate very well so the Colemans brought the immi­ grant family into the house and left them to fend for themselves. The Verburg family thought that this was their sponsor’s home and they sat on the kitchen chairs for several hours with their coats waiting to be taken to their home. This incident still causes the family to laugh about after all these years. Jo worked on the farm of Colemans, and then he worked at the flour mill in Seaforth. Later the family rented a home from Howard Johns and Jo worked at the Air Base in Clinton (now Vana- stra). In the spring of 1954 the Verburg family was able to purchase their own farm on the 13th of Hullett where their son Koos lives now. Jo and his sons started doing all the farmworkwithhorses. Overthe years the children grew and two more farms were purchased and are operated by sons Koos and Tony and their families. Their daughter Janie also lives across the road from them. In 1983 Jo and Antje retired in their new house built right in the centre of their children. Their family is a very close knit family. Twodaughters don’t live in Hullett but they are not far away: Peta, in Hensall, Wilma in Goderich and their youngest and only Canadian born son John lives on the 11th of Hullett. The Verburgs became Canadian citizens as soon as they could since they knew that Canada was now their homeland. Jo and Antje have been members of the Blyth Christian Reformed Church ever since it was established 26 years ago. Before that they went to Clinton Christian Reformed Church. Jo and Antje attribute all their success in enduring some of the hardships and all their success of the blessing of immigrating and raising their family and farming to their Heavenly Father in Heaven who is their constant comfort and guide as they have served their Lord so far in their lives together. Last week 11 relatives from Holland and five relatives from Calfornia came to help Jo and Antje celebrate their golden anniver­ sary. Jo came from a family of 17 and Antje from a family of 14. OPP gets radar on motorcydes In what may be a North American first, the Ontario Pro­ vincial Police had equipped the Force’s motorcylces with the so­ phisticated Moving Digital Radar (MDR-1) units. The MDR-1 is the same unit used in provincial highway cruisers. The MDR-1 can be used to record the speed of another vehicle regardless of whether the vehicle is approaching, departing or parallel to a motorcycle. It has a range of approximately one and a half kilometers and can be programm­ ed to ignore slow moving trucks and concentrate only on traffice moving at higher speeds. It can also record a violator’s speed before a radar detector (illegal in Ontario) can sound a warning. Iiondesboro Compiled by June Fothergill Phone 523-4360 Burns UCW holds Mother's Day meeting Burns U.C.W. meeting was held on May 4 at the home of Ramona Jamieson with 15 members pre­ sent . Gay Sal verda was in charge of the meeting and opened with a poem, “God will be with you’’. Hymn 45 was sung. Ida Salverda hadthe scripture. Gladys had a poem, “What is my Mother’’. Ramona read a pbem, “Are you an active member?’’. Renee had a reading, “Whatis a Mother?’’. The poem, “Spring” was given by Margaret Taylor. Hymn 493 was sung to end the devotional part. Renee took over the business part and welcomed all members. Local people attend baptism services Dora Shobbrook attended the baptism of her great-grandson Brett Allan Blake at Ontario Street United Church and spent the rest of the day with her daughter Thelma Ellerby of Clinton. Muriel Millson and grandson William visited on Tuesday and Wednesday with their mother. Mr. and Mrs. Russell Good and Mr. and Mrs. John Lyons, Sara, Tim and Michael attended baptis­ mal service on Sunday at First St. Andrews United Church in London when their grandson and nephew Scott James Robert Logan was baptized. Seniors Day Centre news BY PAM WILLIAMS As the song says “though April showers may come your way, They bring the flowers that bloom in May.’’ The Day Centre for the Home­ bound in Wingham has special programs blooming for the entire month of May. Our social and recreational programs continue with a special guest speaker, Muriel Coultes of Belgrave, who has recently return­ ed from a trip to Ethiopia. Mrs. Coultes will help us with some arm chair travelling to a nation we are eager to hear more about. Day Centre staff will be attend­ ing an annual conference of three associations. The Older Adult Centres Association of Ontario’ Meals-on-Wheels Assocation and the new Ontario Home Support Association. The joint conference willbe held inOttawafrom May 16- 19. Some of the informative workshops we will be attending are Advocacy of Behalf of the Elderly, Care for the Caregivers, 55 Alive - Safe Driving for Older Adults, Fundraising, Liability Insurance, Rural Transportation and many other interesting sessions. A special movie afternoon will be held at the centre on Thursday, May 19 with popcorn and all the trimmings. The feature film will be “Blue Skies’ ’ starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. Later in the month we will have special activities to help celebrate “National Fitness Week”. Once again we’ll try our annual trek to Roll call was answered by a Bible verse. A card was signed for Jean Leiper and Gay is to take a plant to her. It was moved by Beth that $50 be given to Jane Hoggart to help purchase things needed for the Messengers. It was moved by Josephine, seconded by Jean Scott, that $100 be donated to the Sunshine Club. Collection was taken, then the money from the copper contest was counted with Beryl’steam bringing in more than Ramona’s. Plans were discussed as to where the members would have their dinner. Congratulations to Bev and Helen Wallace on the birth of their granddaughter Amanda Helen Margaret, born in Stratford Gen­ eral Hospital April 15, to Debbie and Wally DeWolfe. Congratulations to Rob and Traci Radford on the birth of their sonTerry Andrew on April 26 at Clinton Public Hospital. The May Institute meeting will be held at Londesboro Hall on Wednesday evening, May 11 at 8 p.m. Rev. Snihur will demonstrate his hobby of painting on stained glass. Everyone is welcome. the Moon (yes that’s right). Older adults will try to walk, hop or move and accumulte milage to equal the distance from the earth to the moon. A special mystery bus trip is planned in May. The Foot Clinics, provided by Community Nursing Services con­ tinue with clinics on May 11 and 26. Please call the centre at 357-1445 for an appointment. Often fan Sftniny Dave's Car Oiling Call for open hours Drummond St. E.(, Blyth -- 523-4343 Baptism held at United Church Rev. Dave and Caron Snihur have returned home after a two-week trip to England and Scotland. On Mother’s Day the greeter at Londesboro United Church was Ken Hunking. Ushers were Kara Lee Potter, Denise Hulley, Joanne Wilts, and Shannon Duizer. Flow­ ers in the church were in memory of Amy Bosman. Colin Swan will be ordained next Sunday, May 15 at 7 p.m. at Metropolitan United Church, London. The Goodwill truck will arrive on Wednesday morning at the Church. Huronview Fellowship is on Wednesday at 1:15 p.m. The ladies’ choir sang two anthems. Two babies were baptiz­ ed: Trent Johnson, son of Earl and Marilyn, and Adam Maize, son of Greg and Roxy. During the children’s time the children pre­ sented all the mothers with flowers they had made for them. The sermon topic was “Treasure in pots of clay.” Love Our You’ll Used Car Deals '88TEMPO-4door, aut., air, p.s., p.b., electric safety belts, A Beauty. '87SABLE -4door, air, p.s., p.b., stereo cassette. '85 OLDS CUTLASS - Sierra stationwagon, loaded. '85 OLDS REGENCY Brougham, 2 to choose from, loaded. '85 PARK AVENUE -4 door, 2 tone, loaded. -Warranty with all vehicles -Service work by a class 'A' mechanic for your summer pleasure. -Remember us for all of your general maintenance, alignments, wheel balance, broken lights, etc. BRUSSELS AUTO SALES & SERVICE Formerly Carl's Auto Body Brussels 887-9269 Phone John Nixon 887-9417 agent for WEST WAWANOSH MUTUAL INS. CO. Farm, Residential, Auto, Commercial & Liability "When you become a policy holder, you become a share holder" Head office - Dungannon The wingham Sales Arena “EVERYTHING UNDER ONE ROOF’ INEW & USED GUNS)npFN MON.-SAT. 9-6 U FRI. NITES TIL 9 357-1730 BULK Baking Goods Spices, Bulk Candy, Food & Grocery Items CLOTHING & FOOTWEAR For The Whole Family