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An Immigrant’s Story: Memoirs of a Dutch Canadian Copyright © 2011 by Matthew Gaasenbeek III All rights reserved Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Gaasenbeek, Matthew An immigrant's story: memoirs of a Dutch Canadian / Matthew Gaasenbeek III Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-0-9813593-2-8 (bound). -- ISBN 978-0-9813593-3-5 (pbk.) 1. Gaasenbeek, Matthew. 2. Businesspeople--Canada-- Biography. 3. Dutch Canadians-- Biography. I. Title. HC112.5.G33 A3 2011 332.092 C2011-906060-4 This edition published by Cybercom Publishing PO Box 130, Dorset, Ontario Canada P0A 1E0 E-mail: [email protected] Cover, layout and text design: Tim Harrison Printed and bound in the United States of America and London, England. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher of this book. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. Care has been taken to trace the ownership of any copyright material in this text. The publisher will gladly accept any information that will enable them to correct any errors or omissions in subsequent editions. Gaasenbeek – An Immigrant’s Story: Memoirs of a Dutch Canadian ~ 2 ~ Gaasenbeek – An Immigrant’s Story: Memoirs of a Dutch Canadian CONTENTS: Foreword ....................................................................................................... 4 Dedicated ...................................................................................................... 6 To All Future Gaasenbeek Generations ...................................................... 6 Chapter I ..................................................................................................... 10 1930 – 1939 Childhood in Holland ........................................................... 10 Chapter II .................................................................................................... 32 1939 - 1945 The War Years and Liberation ............................................. 32 Chapter III .................................................................................................. 47 1945 - 1948 Post War Aftermath .............................................................. 47 Chapter IV .................................................................................................. 65 1948 - 1956 Getting Traction in Canada ................................................... 65 Chapter V .................................................................................................. 102 1956 – 1983 Professional Years ............................................................ 102 Chapter VI ................................................................................................ 135 Family Life.............................................................................................. 135 Chapter VII ............................................................................................... 170 Jokama Farm ........................................................................................... 170 Chapter VIII ............................................................................................. 197 1983 – Independence .............................................................................. 197 Chapter IX ................................................................................................. 232 On Religion ............................................................................................. 232 Chapter X .................................................................................................. 254 Future Musings ....................................................................................... 254 Conclusion ................................................................................................ 267 Epilogue .................................................................................................... 271 Profile - Matthew Gaasenbeek III ....................................................... 275 Bibliography ............................................................................................ 281 ~ 3 ~ Gaasenbeek – An Immigrant’s Story: Memoirs of a Dutch Canadian Foreword Writing these Memoirs has been a much longer and a more exhausting project than I had ever imagined. It is thanks to the many people who have taken the interest and time, and made the effort to help me, that these Memoirs were written at all. My very first editor and cheerleader was our beloved eldest granddaughter, Sarah Cobourn whose enthusiasm and encouragement in the earlier phase helped me to persevere. At a later stage L. Col. Bill Adcock and my long time friend George Fells provided valuable input in such matters as proper grammar, styling, format and suggestions for more needed content where required. Karen Cobourn was very helpful, particularly in editing and toning down some of my perhaps too frank and politically incorrect prose. Karen, your help has been much appreciated. Additional touches which were most valuable were provided by my sister Marty. But most of all I would like to thank the joint forces of the Harrison-Pennington family for the editing, art work and professional advice in bringing this book to completion. Ben, you are the gentlest and finest editor any struggling amateur writer could wish for; Sheila, thank you for your overall guidance; and Timothy, thank you for applying your artistic and computer magic to the layout and art work needed to bring this book to the point of printing. All your help is so much appreciated. Last, but not least, I would like to thank Mary Sargent, who has been doing my typing for so many years. She has been faithfully retyping my endless drafts and corrections to the point of ad nausea. I do so appreciate your help Mary. I apologize in advance for any inaccuracies, other important people, or stories I have neglected to include. I ask for your understanding that in a book such as this one it is impossible to mention everyone or to remember perfectly all the details of the past. I have done my best and this effort will have to suffice. The final product’s responsibility is, of course, mine alone, but any perceived quality would not have been possible without your much appreciated collective help. Matthew Gaasenbeek III ~ 4 ~ Gaasenbeek – An Immigrant’s Story: Memoirs of a Dutch Canadian H.L. Col. Matthew Gaasenbeek III and Mrs. Dai Gaasenbeek DCTJ Toronto Garrison Ball - 2007 ~ 5 ~ Gaasenbeek – An Immigrant’s Story: Memoirs of a Dutch Canadian Dedicated To All Future Gaasenbeek Generations These recollections are dedicated to our children and particularly to our grandchildren and their descendants. I have tried to share with all of you, what it was like to grow up in the Netherlands, the country of my birth; the reason why I left and came to Canada; to share with you some of my Second World War experiences as a young boy and what it was like to be an immigrant to Canada in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. This autobiography is a personal account only and is not meant to be a complete story of our family. As the first male Gaasenbeek to come to Canada, I felt a special obligation to record these memories before they are obliterated by the dust of time. It is, above all, an attempt to help you better understand who you are and what your heritage is, since the Gaasenbeek and/or Gaasbeek families (which is the same clan) go back hundreds of years, if not longer, in what are now the Netherlands and Belgium. I hope your subsequent families will enjoy this effort and find yourselves interested in these recollections long after our generation is gone. Along with my wife Dai, we deeply and most affectionately wish all of our children and their descendants for many generations to come, long, happy, prosperous, wonderful and worthwhile lives. May you all be a force of good only, in your lives and may God’s Blessing rest upon you and your families as it has in the past upon ours. Matthew Gaasenbeek III Toronto, Canada, 2011 ~ 6 ~ Gaasenbeek – An Immigrant’s Story: Memoirs of a Dutch Canadian My Mother Mrs. Hendrina Barbara Gaasenbeek Scheeres May 27, 1907 – March 26, 1994 ~ 7 ~ Gaasenbeek – An Immigrant’s Story: Memoirs of a Dutch Canadian Matthijs Gaasenbeek II – My Dad March 3, 1891 – December 14, 1971 ~ 8 ~ Gaasenbeek – An Immigrant’s Story: Memoirs of a Dutch Canadian Oma - 1965 Martha Johanna Scheeres-Goedheyt January 3, 1879 – August 10, 1966 ~ 9 ~ Gaasenbeek – An Immigrant’s Story: Memoirs of a Dutch Canadian Chapter I 1930 – 1939 Childhood in Holland “A great man is he who has not lost the heart of a child.” Mencius other delivered me, Matthew (Matthijs) Gaasenbeek on February 27, 1930 after a long and difficult birthing. I was M her first born and the third eldest son of the eldest son to be named Matthew. Apparently I bypassed baby talk and did not speak much until I was three and then spoke in full sentences. I remember playing with Len who was my first brother, when I was about four years old but not with the others until I was older. In time there were six sons and one daughter, as well as two older

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