Every personal life is a shared unique life. “Whatever the future may bring”, *** was Mum’s anthem.

Dutch version, Nederlandse versie

Perhaps this is the hardest thing I have ever done, writing a public memorial about our dearest mum. Therefore, I will keep it short for now. In life and times, maybe later I will write a version that does her more justice. In an initial phase of mourning, agitation prevails.

In 1948, our mother was one of the first to leave ‘s Gravenmoer to study and work in Naaldwijk and Rotterdam, as a nurse, specialising in psychiatry.

In 1963, mum married our dear dad (1928-2001). They had three children together and took us on long bike rides and walks at an early age. Adventurous holidays at home and abroad are also fond memories.

In 1973, Mum was invited in Sprang-Capelle to take over the management of the elderly home “Achter de Hoven”, where she worked as an evening nurse at the time. The nursing profession was her passion, so she accepted the challenge. Unforgettable childhood years followed in our new residence in the home for the elderly at Hendrik Chabotstraat 66. We suddenly had more than 70 grandparents.

Safe connectedness Mum and Dad found in the PKN De Brug Protestant congregation, a philosophy of life they passed on to their children without coercion. Especially after Dad’s death in 2001, not only the church services, but also the warm attention and cosy coffee meetings afterwards and discussion circles on weekdays became of great importance to Mum, who, as a widow, was not going to give up.

In the last phase of her single life, when she became less mobile, she was picked up weekly to still be able to participate in the Sunday services in the church building. Special thanks therefore to the Van Eersel and Visser families. Until her last days, she also received visits from several church members and parishioners, about whom she spoke with great enthusiasm barely a week before her deathbed.

Ma was, especially from her retirement in 1991, on the road every week to visit her children, relatives and sick church members. On fixed, recurring days, Ma also had fun with the lovely ladies of the cycling and reading club and always looked forward to the meetings of the “Women of Now”. They too did not forget ma when she finally stopped being the same person after a fall in December 2020. The identical goes for Ma’s two neighbouring women, who especially between December 2020 and April 2022 accompanied Ma’s independent living by being on standby even more often than before.

Ma moved on 28 April 2022 to independent accommodation in the small-scale care facility Elzenhoven, barely 500 metres away from where she had lived from 1991. Ma made use of the opportunity at the care location to also meet other residents and eat together in the communal living room with open kitchen and a connecting terrace with a large garden. I can only wish the loving dedication of the carers in Residential Group 1 to all children and their parents who are no longer self-reliant. They brought Ma’s last phase of life to a blessed end with dignity and in warm safety, in close consultation with her children. Special thanks therefore to Joanne Dekkers and her team.

“Whatever the future may bring, […]” The perseverance of Ma Westerink van Loon, including her determination to live with the day, and her uncompromising caring devotion to direct and indirect loved ones, is something I wish for everyone. 

Dear Mum, rest in the Light from Above, goodbye,

Cora

Whatever the future may bring,
the Lord’s hand guides me,
boldly I thus turn my eyes
to the unknown land.
Teach me to follow without question,
Father what Thou doest is good.
Teach me only to bear the present,
with quiet, calm courage.

Lord I want to praise Your love,
Though my soul does not understand Thee.
Blessed he who dares to believe,
even when the eye does not see.
Do Your ways seem dark to me,
see I ask Thee not: why?
Once I see all Your splendour,
When I enter Thy heaven.

Where the way may bring me,
To the Father’s faithful hand,
I walk with closed eyes,
To the unknown land.