On July 9, 1926, in Hummello Holland, Bernard Heersink and Jocoba Harenberg completed their family with the birth of Johan Jacobus Heersink. John was the fourth child with one older sister and two brothers.
During his teen years John found that misbehaving in class resulted in the punishment of writing out 500 lines. Since he didn’t want to write out lines, he decided to go fishing instead of going to school. Every day John talked a different school chum into joining him at the fishing hole. One day John returned home to find the principal at his house. They mutually agreed John’s school days were over and it was then he began working on his father’s farm.
During the war John and his brothers hid in holes in the ground in the woods. Their mother would take walks in the woods dropping parcels of food near where her sons were hiding. On the very last day of the war John was home alone when his farm was bombed. While he did everything he could he would never forget the sounds of the animals he was unable to save. This was a time in John’s life he rarely talked about.
John, quite the dancer at the age of 19, met Henny (then 20) at a youth group event in 1946. Sparks flew and they were married a short time later on September 25, 1946. They soon became the proud parents of a bouncing eight pound preemie baby girl. Parenthood agreed with John and Henny as the stork arrived six times in the next eight years.
During this time, John, an avid marksman, won many trophies for target shooting in Holland. His farm prospered with a herd of top producing cows and a barn of prize winning pigs. Life was good until an outbreak of disease resulted in the disposal of his herd.
He sold the farm and immigrated to Canada in 1958 with Henny and six children speaking no English. When the Heersink family arrived in Canada John began working as a farm laborer for Pearl and Mel Pulan near Sweaburg. Although he only worked there for six months this friendship lasted many years. Mel Pulin told subsequent Dutch immigrants “no one compares to John”.
Six months after arriving in Canada, John and Henny purchased the family farm located near Brooksdale and for over 20 years they nurtured the farm into a successful property that would provide a comfortable retirement.
On their first New Year’s Eve in Canada other Dutch friends called John and Henny and asked what they were doing. With six young children at home their friends decided to move the celebration to the Heersink home. A new tradition was started. For the next 45 years or so friends and family gathered at the Heersink household to ring in the New Year. It was only recently with only three of the original guests left that New Year’s Eve was celebrated in a much quieter fashion. Tonight I hope John will be toasting in the New Year with his many friends who left before him while we will raise a glass and remember with fondness the times gone past.
For the Heersink children childhood memories include milking cows, baling hay, working in the cucumber patch, trips to Sand Hills, and to Lakeside.
Over the years the Heersink family continued to expand with the birth of Angie and four years later the birth of their first grandchild Heather. A rapid succession of grandchildren followed and many Sundays the farmhouse kitchen was the meeting place for brothers, sisters, and their expanding families waiting for Grandma’s famous soup and sandwich Sunday night special.
With the sale of the farm in the spring of 1980, John and Henny purchased their new home on the Tolligate Road near Gollispie. Grandpa soon grew tired of the retired life and began to expand his talents of fixing and building. After purchasing and renovating two houses John was ready to begin his labour of love.
With the purchase of a bush lot beside the old rail tracks in Embro John began the biggest project of all—he and his family began building his retirement home. After a long summer’s work John and Henny moved into their new home in the fall of 1987. He continued to improve their home until he suffered a heart attack on August 8, 1988.
Over the next few days John suffered several heart attacks and underwent emergency surgery. Despite a poor prognosis John beat the odds. He spent the winter recuperating and growing stronger. After a year of recuperation John and Henny headed east on a road trip with Jackie and Allan. It was during this time John adopted a new philosophy and decided to live life to the fullest and not take anything for granted. The travel bug had bitten them.
Shortly after this revelation, the thrifty Dutchman took great delight in shocking his family and friends by buying a Cadillac. This car knew no boundaries as it traveled in every direction with no known destination or return dates. Yes for nearly a decade we watched the tail lights in the horizon. As we waved them off on their new adventure we would chuckle at the bumper sticker “We are spending our kid’s inheritance.”
When not on the road or jet setting to Holland, John spent many hours fixing and creating many beautiful pieces in his woodworking shop. If he was not repairing worn or broken pieces of furniture, he was creating many family heirlooms including a grandfather clock, roll top desk, several corner cupboards and even wooden cradles for his grandchildren and eventually wood toys for them.
With the new millennium John and Henny settled into a quieter lifestyle. They spent more time at the kitchen window watching over their many feathered friends. John waged a war with the squirrels and chipmunks as he tried to invent a better bird feeder. In warmer weather he could be found planting trees, digging flower beds, and continuing his passion for building—which led to the creation of a gazebo and a fishpond with a working water wheel.
Although John’s health deteriorated in the summer of 2004 he continued to look for new projects. Only a month ago John completed a beautiful replica gingerbread playhouse for his youngest grandchildren. The next time you are going down John Street in Embro please check it out in Angie and Mark’s backyard.
The family recently enjoyed a wonderful Christmas full of lasting memories and cherished moments unaware John’s time with us was drawing to a close. This past Wednesday morning while sitting at his favorite place at the kitchen table with his wife of 59 years, John was planning his next project when he was suddenly taken from us.
John will continue to hold a special place in our hearts and memories. We will look back with pride to the man who taught us patience, tolerance and forgiveness.
Grandpa always said when things look bad, tomorrow will be a better day. Together we will face tomorrow in John’s legacy.
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Eva and I would like to thank everyone for their kind words of condolence.
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