Contributions to the tribute of Bill Verhoef

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The family of Bill Verhoef uploaded a photo

Thursday, August 31, 2017

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The family of Bill Verhoef uploaded a photo

Thursday, August 31, 2017

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Fred Verboom posted a condolence

Friday, November 9, 2012

Bill (William) Verhoef: March 24, 1936 - November 3, 2012 Bill was born in the Netherlands March 24, 1936, where they lived in Benschop, in the province of Utrecht. In 1949, at age 13, Bill emigrated to Canada with his parents and older sister Mieke, travelling on a boat called the M.S. Gripsholm, part of a Swedish-American line. After working on various farms, Bill's family purchased their own dairy farm on what is now called the Ron McNeil line, (or county road 52), just outside of St. Thomas, Ontario. The Verhoef family was one of the first families in the Aylmer Christian Reformed Church, and have been faithful followers ever since. It was a difficult time for a newly immigrated family, and there was a lot of hard work. To help earn some income for the family, Bill would sell fresh farm eggs along a route of regular customers. Bill always worked on the family farm, which consumed much of his time. Moving forward to 1969, Bill placed an ad in the Calvinist Contact, requesting penpals. Mutual friends, Kees and Tilly De Kraker presented the ad to Tina, who responded, and they met in November 1969. The following year, in 1970, Bill and Tina were married in July. Bill and Tina managed the farm along with the help of Bill's Father for quite a few years, milking the cows and delivering on their quota of milk, harvesting crops, and doing other jobs required on the farm. Any income was always put back into the farm, to provide continuous improvements in farm equipment and the holdings. Bill also enjoyed pets, and always had a German Shepherd dog, as well as many cats in the barn. In January 1973, a daughter Michelle was born to Bill and Tina, and nothing was too much for her. Over the subsequent years, the 3 of them would go on camping holidays with their camper trailer, visiting places including Tennessee, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, northern Michigan and Ontario, and the East Coast. While on the farm on the Ron McNeil line, to help provide some disposable income, and taking up a trade from Tina's parents, Bill and Tina started refinishing furniture. They would take requests from clients as their reputation grew, and also purchased various pieces of furniture with the purpose of refinishing and selling. During this time, Bill and Tina started visiting yard sales to find bargains, and over the years, became Yard Sale Aficionados. In 1991, as the city of St. Thomas continued to expand north, Bill and Tina sold their farm on Ron McNeil line, and purchased another on highway 73, just north of Aylmer. After a few more years of farming with a focus on raising beef, Bill retired from active farming. In September 1999, their daughter Michelle married Jason Lester, and expanded the family with their 2 daughters Ashley and Kendall. I know it was always a pleasure for Bill and Tina to have the children around. During the last years of his retirement, Bill and Tina realized a desire to give back to the community, and decided to help out in the Amish community, by providing transportation for shopping and appointments. The Amish came to understand Bill and Tina's love of yard sales, and expressed their interest in various items that Bill and Tina might be able to look for. This quickly developed into a targeted market for Bill and Tina, who would generously seek out specific items of interest to the Amish, and offer these at humungous yard sales semi-annually within their community. Through this, Bill and Tina were able to develop a very respectful, and friendly relationship with the nearby Amish community. During Bill's last few weeks, he was very grateful and appreciative when a group of 12 Amish people came to their home, to sing hymns and share fellowship. While Bill was a shy, private, and very independent person, he was very generous with his time and knowledge. When my partner and I moved from Toronto to Guelph, and decided to start a vegetable garden, we spoke to Bill and Tina about needing garden tools. Very shortly thereafter, Bill and Tina arrived at our home with their truck and invited me out to the driveway to see what they had to offer. The next thing we knew, we were the proud owners of a whole set of gently used garden tools, and a wheelbarrow, all of which we continue to use today. Bill was also able to give us suggestions on tending our garden. Bill was an avid collector, and over the years, built up a large collection of antique garden, construction, farming and kitchen tools. He also developed a strong interest in toy trucks and motorcycles, and accumulated quite a collection, of which he was very proud. Bill enjoyed cross-border shopping with friends and family, and always enjoyed stopping for a buffet lunch at the Golden Corral in Port Huron, Michigan. Bill loved his food, and it was always a joke at our family gatherings and potluck dinners that you didn't want to be behind Bill in the line. Bill always had a penchant for big cars. When he started dating Tina, he drove a large Oldsmobile. His most recent pride and joy was a 1983 Lincoln Town Car, which has been a keepsake and until this past year, Bill would drive this car to church during the summer weather. The car is still currently parked in their garage at home. Bill was diagnosed with Colon cancer in July 2011, and quickly underwent surgery. It was also at this time that his older sister, Mieke, passed away. This was very difficult for Bill as she was his only sibling, and they had been very close. Bill's surgery was followed by many months of chemotherapy treatments as well as a round of radiation treatment. During this time, Bill always maintained a very positive outlook, and until the last couple of months, other than needing to travel to London for treatment, he was able to maintain a regular quality of life. This included attending and holding a variety of yard sales, traveling periodically to Port Huron with family and/or friends, attending family functions, and continuing to manage the care of their property and home. Throughout all of this, and even recently, while at home, Bill always maintained his sense of humour. Even last Thursday afternoon, while observing a couple of satellite TV technicians, we were able to laugh and joke about their difficulty in getting all of the TV and VCR hookups correct. The family would like to thank everyone for the many cards, visits, support and gifts of food over the past 1.5 years, and specifically over the last 6 weeks; your care and concern will always be remembered. Representing the Verboom family, I know we are all grateful for Bill's protectiveness and caring of our sister Tina in many ways, including her diabetes. Bill was a brother to all of us. Thank you all for being here today, to celebrate Bill's life, and to carry forward your own memories of Bill.

T

Tara Gate posted a condolence

Monday, November 5, 2012

Dear Aunt Tina and Family My deepest and sincere condolences to you and your family. I am so sorry for your loss. I hope you can find peace and comfort in one another and in the words of God during this difficult time. Take care, my prayers and thoughts are with you.

B

Betty Huston posted a condolence

Monday, November 5, 2012

Dear Tina: Iam so sorry of hear of Bill's passing.Please accept our deepest sympathy. Jim and Betty Huston

In loving memory of

Bill

1936 - 2012