In Loving Memory of

Nell de Groot

of Edmonton
Aug 4, 2019

Nell de Groot, age 89 in Edmonton, AB on August 2, 2019. Nell (or Neeltje as she was named in the Netherlands) was born to Jannetje (nee van der Lee) and Willem Verhoef, on a farm near Baambrugge, the Netherlands, the seventh in a line of eight children. She was predeceased by her husband, Adrian de Groot, and all of her elder siblings: brothers Willem, Harmen, Jan, and Simon, and sisters Jannie and Mar. She is survived by her younger sister, Gerrie and brother-in-law, Tuenis van Waalbeek of Iowa, and brother in law, Barend van den Bosch of the Netherlands; son Tom and daughter-in-law, Angelica, of Fruitvale BC; daughter Janet, and son-in-law, Alan Roth, of Calgary and daughter Catherine, and son-in-law, Michael Hedlin, of San Diego; grandchildren David (Jillian), Michael (Amanda) and Joshua (Justina) de Groot; Margot, Eric (Taylor), and Paul Hedlin; and Anja Roth. Loved great grandchildren are Jacob, Matthew, Lillian, Charlotte, Jasper, Anneka, Elizabeth and Adelaide.

Nell and her family lived through WWII on the family farm with family members part of the resistance. Their war efforts are captured in a chapter of the book, Dat vergeet je nooit meer… (by Else Flim, 1995). Her formal education was interrupted by the war years as she lived in an occupied country and could not travel from the family farm into the city for her high school education. Instead she took courses in bookkeeping in the Netherlands and, as a young woman, worked for her brother Harm in Amsterdam.

Joining the Dutch diaspora following WWII, Nell left Holland in 1955 to marry Adrian de Groot (1917-1998) in Edmonton, where they built their first home in Beverly. They shared their passion for education with their children. Christianity was core to her life, as a member of the Christian Reformed Church. Over the years, Nell had been supervisor of Sunday Schools and on the board of the Emmanuel Home. She also supported her children’s competitive swimming as a timer, coach and swim team record keeper.

Nell was passionate about living independently, tending her beloved large backyard, and travels to Australia, the Netherlands, Fruitvale, Toronto and San Diego. She thrived at H&R Block, taking great interest in meeting and supporting returning clients for 25 years as a master tax preparer and completing international tax returns, leaving her employment finally at the age of 82. We also appreciate the kind restorative and palliative care provided to mom at Norwood Capital Care, with special thanks to charge nurse Claudette Boisvert, and palliative doctor, Dr. Ingrid de Kock and palliative care resident, Dr. Dustin.