|
| |
 Wim
van Deursen.
Mieke's dad was born in The Hague in 1916. When Mieke was born in 1943 dad
was in a POW camp in Germany. The first time he ever held Mieke in his
arms was after his return in 1945. After the war he started his own
Insurance Co. Later he expanded with adding a funeral Co. |
 Trees
van Velzen.
Mieke's mother was born in The Hague in 1917. She married dad in 1941.
When during the war dad was in a POW camp she had to take care of Mieke
all by herself. She was the perfect example of what a mother is all about,
always full of love for her family.
She died much too young in 1972. |
Mieke was born during the war on October 30, 1943.
After the war when her father returned from the POW camp the van Deursen family
still lived in another section of town but in 1956 they moved to the Mient. It
was then that they became the neighbors of the Seesinks.
Once Mieke had completed her years on the parochial elementary school she went
in 1957 to the Edith Stein College.
She graduated in 1962. Until she married a few years later she worked for an
insurance company in The Hague.
In the years to follow her friendship with Tom grew closer which eventually
ended up in marriage.
As they belonged to the same parish they married on January 18th, 1964 in the
Holy Family church.
|
 |
The Holy Family church was built in 1925. The parochial schools on which
both Mieke and Tom had studied belonged to the same parish.
Mieke's mother and Tom's parents were all buried out of the same church. |
 |
They settled down on the Mient but not for
long. In 1965 Tom had to leave for Bermuda and once Elleke was born in February
1966 Mieke followed him with her newly born daughter.
In December, 1967 the family returned to Holland. They stayed together for the
holidays and a few weeks vacation but then Tom left for Baltimore where he had
accepted a job ashore. In March he returned for a few weeks to be present at
Frank's birth.
On July 1, 1968 Mieke with Elleke and Frank left Holland and joined Tom in the
States.
Mieke went through the moving ordeal several times again. From one house in
Baltimore to another then to Franklin Lakes followed by Blairstown and finally
to Bangor.
Mieke is the oldest of 5 children, she has one sister and three brothers.
She is the only family member who emigrated to the United States.
|
From the old
Family Picture Albums |
|
|
|
Click on any picture
to see them full size / Click on "BACK"
to return to this page. |
|
|
 |
 |
1943 |
(L) On October 30th mama was born.
This is one of her baby pictures.
(R) A school picture of "Tommy" in the same year and taken in 6th grade. |
 |
 |
1952 |
(L) Mama on the day of her first communion.
(R) Papa as cadet on the m. v. Trompenberg. |
 |
 |
1956 |
(L) Mama on the right on roller-skates with her
sister and brother on the left. (Picture is taken near our home on the
Mient 273)
(R) Papa on the bridge of the m. v. Rossum. |
 |
 |
1960 |
(L) Mama while studying for her college degree.
(R) Papa as 2nd. officer is here seen in drydock preparing the ship for
the first Antarctic expedition. |
 |
 |
2000 |
(L) Mama's picture was taken during a cruise to Bermuda.
(R) Papa at work on the bridge of a ship in New Orleans.
|
|
|
|
|
|
