Obituaries

I lift my eyes to the hills; where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Ps 121 1,2

Petronella Maat went peacefully to be with her Lord and Saviour on October 30, 2018. Nel is lovingly remembered as Mom, Oma and Grandma by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Derk and Annita Maat, Derek and Heather (Sarah, Renee, Deron), Marya and Greg (Isaac, Luke, Genevieve, Julianna), Justin and Courtney (Logan, Bennett); Tina Maat (daughter-in-law), Julie and Scott (Madelynn, Abigail, Everett), Jonathan and Yolanda (Elliot, Kaitlyn, Morgan), Carolyn and Jordan (Mikah); Marianne and Larry Simpson, Byron, Darren,
Levi and Shelley (Avery, Ella, Lauren), Ian and Kathryn (Isla), Rhonda and Patti; Peter and Judy Maat, Leanne and Rick (Kiera, Tegan, Brielle), Andrea and Bryan (Jasper, Finley), Dan and Heather (Jonah, Theo, Sawyer, Zeke); Rob and Mercedes, Natasha and Tyler (Sophia, Amelia), Melissa and Matt; Art and Tina Maat, Micheal and Jaclyn (Talia), Kaila, Taylor and Hilary. Nel is survived and lovingly remembered as a dear sister by her brother Jan (Toni) Van Westenbrugge, and as Tante Nel by many nieces and nephews in Holland. She was predeceased by her husband of 52 years, Derk Jan Maat (2000), her son John (2007), two sisters: Mien and Rita, and her brother Isaak.
Nel was born in Zwolle in the Netherlands on September 6, 1920. Educated as a teacher, she taught many young children and teens in Holland before and during the war. She married Derk Jan Maat on October 14, 1948, after the war ended and they immigrated to Canada in 1949 (with a baby on the way) in order to begin a new life. Nel and Dick worked hard for a few years on various farms in the Thunder Bay area. In 1952 they were able to purchase an existing greenhouse business which later grew into a landscaping business. Nel and Dick lived there together for 48 years with Nel staying on for 10 more years after Dick

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