Clinton News-Record, 1985-5-8, Page 86New horn+e
From page 53
large cucumber plant.
While the rest of the family was work-
ing
orking at Canada Packers, Mrs. Greidanus
was in charge of the household and care
of the two youngest children, Wilma and
young Leo.
"She didn't understand the new
language and would get homesick. The
only company she could expect was the
baker once a week," said Mrs. Haak, but
cooking, knitting and mending clothes
for 12 people kept her busy.
When the family worked overtime,
Mrs. Greidanus often cooked supper for
24 people as the Bakelaars, Siertsemas
and Sults ate there.
Each Sunday at 8 a.m. the Greidanus
family would gather around their car and
turn on the radio (because they did not
have a radio in the house) and listen to
Dutch sermons from the Back to God
Hour.
"The whole family would be outside
singing hymns, and at 1 p.m. we would go
to the Dutch service in the Presbyterian
Church. The whole family would get in
the two old cars and -go," explained Mrs.
Haak. "The new immigrants rented the
church from the congregation. I can
remember the first Sunday we went in
May of 1951, only five benches were filled
but every Sunday there would be more
and more people."
new land, new jobs
Thr former (nreidanus hi ine
The sermon was in Dutch but Canadian
hymns would be sung from Psalter Hym-
nal.
After the service, families would go to
other people's homes and have supper
and play games until it was time to head
back to their own houses.
In the winter of 1952, the congregation
got its own pastor from Holland. Rev.
George Hoytema, who died last year,
came over with his family. The church
council purchased a home in Clinton for
Rev. Hoytema, who was a school friend
of Mr. Greidanus. Plans were then made
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to build a church of their own.
The Greidanus family did their best to
help other immigrants when they first
arrived in Canada. One example is the
Idsinga family.
Leo Idsinga, his wife and eight children
came to Canada in the fall of 1952. At this
time Mr. and Mrs. Greidanus were living
in the home on Vinegar Hill with some of
the children while the other children
were staying on the 100 acre farm.
The Idsinga family moved into the
farm house with the Greidanus children.
Mr. Idsinga soon got a job at the piano
factory and Mrs. Idsinga took care of the
housekeeping duties on the farm.
Parents die
Greidanus died of cancer in 1961. At
this time Mrs. Greidanus moved to town,
buying a house on Huron Street. She also
lived for a number of years in the King
Street Apartments. According to Mrs.
Haak, her mother loved living in town.
Mrs. Greidanus suffered a few strokes
and died at the age of 76.
Many of the children are still living in
the area, and those that don't try to make
it back for the annual family picnic held
each July 1 at the Goderich Provincial
Park. The Greidanus sons and
daughters, and the 54 grandchildren and
32 great-grandchildren, also try to attend
the family skating party in Blyth and
Turn t!r page SS
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