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Born: 02 Jul 1897 at Workum, Friesland, The Netherlands Died: 08 Sep 1983 at Andijk, Holland, The Netherlands (of leukemia)
Father: Sietze NIJDAM Spouse: Uilke DIJKSTRA
Children:
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Ietje and Uilke were married 28 May 1925 in Sneek (or Oosthem?). They moved to a dairy farm near Andijk 12 May 1928. He joined his brother Lolke and his parents who also lived in Andijk. Lolke had moved there at age 16 on 22 June 1912 and later became a market gardener. Uilke's parents had moved there 3 May 1927 after selling the Oosthem farm and all that belonged to it to Klaas van der Zee and Johantje Dijkstra (a relative). The winter following Uilke and Ietje's move to Andijk was very harsh (worst on record). Besides being a dairy farmer, Uilke served in the local Gerevormeerde (Calvinistic) church as elder.
Ietje's son Stan remembered her as very energetic. A good housekeeper. Living on a farm, she always insisted on cleaning up milking utensils, which was usually done by a maid. The family was very busy, e.g. Ietje's husband left after dinner to tend a field and cows away from home. She was a strict mother to her son (Stan's wife says his mom was good to him). She was a child of her time. They were parochial (like most people of their time). They couldn't understand why any of their children would want to leave and not just work a farm like them.
Ietje never got over the move from Friesland to Holland. It was a very bad thing to her. She never got used to the Andyk culture and people. She was very easy-going, flexible with people.
She was very hospitable. Her nature was forgiving. She was very protective of the kids. They were never allowed to swim behind the dike like other kids. She was not selfish and was willing to sacrifice for her family. She didn't demand much for herself. She was not at all materialistic. She was always in a good mood and full of humor. She had the ability to encourage people [Stan did too]. She was not a depressed person, rather she was a happy, strong person. She was very strong both physically and mentally. She said she never had a headache.
Stan and his family visited for 5 weeks in 1966 (first time Stan's wife met them was 12.5 years after they were married). Stan and his wife visited again in 1975, which was the 50th wedding anniversary of Uilke and Ietje. The city band came out to play for them. They visited again with only their youngest child in 1979.
In Andijk, they ran the farm for many years. Eventually, their 4th son took over the farm. For many years, that son and Pete each had half and Uilke and Ietje also lived at the farmhouse. Later, Pete bought a farm in Friesland, so the other son took over.
Tante Piet and her husband Ome Lammert (ATSMA) chose differently on the church issue. They must have made an agreement to disagree, since he stayed with the Hervormde kerk and she went (with her dad) to the more conservative Gerevormeerde kerk. They never seemed to have any trouble with this issue. There is a dutch saying that: Twee Geloven, op een Kussen, daar slaapt de duivel tussen (When man and wife have different beliefs, sooner or later there's trouble). This used to be said in general, but Piet and Lammert seemed to escape this trouble.
ALTHUISIUS was from a line of French Huegenots.
The war years were hard on Ietje and she suffered what today would be called a mild nervous breakdown after the war was over.
Ietje died 8 Sep 1983 of leukemia (they phoned from Holland when 2 of her daughters-in-law were staying with relatives in Port Alberni for a granddaughter's wedding.
