With sadness, the family of
Henderkien Rogerson (Ebels) of Sackville
New Brunswick, wishes to announce her passing on September 13, 2019 at
The Drew Nursing Home, Sackville, N.B. less than 3 weeks before her
101st birthday.
Hennie was born on October 2, 1918 to
Albert and Annechien (Abbring) Ebels, in Groningen, The
Netherlands.
Life changed dramatically for Hennie in
1946, when she became a Dutch War Bride, and followed her husband John
Rogerson to Canada. Her crossing of the Atlantic Ocean was
very memorable, as it included Canada’s Prime Minister
MacKenzie King as a passenger, a hurricane, and to no surprise, sea
sickness for days. Perhaps this experience was not so
daunting for a lady who spent her early to mid twenties working for
the Dutch Resistance, helping those so terribly oppressed in her city,
at great risk to her own life.
Her next adventures were adapting to a
new country, a new language, and a rural setting. Soon she
was busy raising four children, while being very active in her
community and church in the Baie Verte/Port Elgin area. John
and Hennie moved to Sackville in 1987, where they made many new
friends and enjoyed the next stage of their lives together.
Hennie’s favorite pastime was
knitting. During the war her knitting needles were at times
used as radio antennas for receiving signals for the
Resistance. She employed those needles until she was 94
years old, when she was still knitting "teddies for
tragedy", and "baby pneumonia vests" for church
projects.
Besides her parents, Hennie was
predeceased by an infant brother, her sister Margaretha Rutchi and
nephew Paul Rutchi, both of Australia, as well as her husband John
Rogerson.
She is survived by her four children:
Agnes Rogerson of Sackville N.B., David Rogerson (Carol) of Halifax
N.S., Margaret Flynn (Lew DeForest) of Halifax N.S., and Audrey
Sullivan (Stuart) of Edmonton Alberta. She is survived by
six grandchildren: Johnathon Boudreau, Ryan and Peter Rogerson, Amanda
Sullivan, Andrea Goldstein, and Sean Sullivan. She lived to
see six great grand daughters: Ashlynn Boudreau, Ella Rogerson, Amelia
and Heidi VanderWal, Anna and Madeleine Goldstein. Hennie is
also survived by one niece, Marijke Edgar of Australia.
Arrangements have been entrusted to
Jones Funeral Home, 70 Bridge St.,
Sackville, NB (506-364-1300) where visiting hours will take place on
Thursday, September 19, 2019 from 6 to 8 pm. Hennie's
funeral service will be held from St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church,
Sackville, on Friday, September 20, 2019 at 2 pm, Rev. Jeff Murray
officiating. Following a reception in the church hall, her
burial will take place in the Fernwood Cemetery, Port Elgin,
NB.
Those wishing to make a donation in
Hennie's memory may do so to the charity of your
choice.
Sharing of memories and condolences may
be sent to the family by visiting Hennie's online memorial at
www.jonesfuneralhome.ca or through the Jones Funeral Home Facebook
Page.