Skip to content

DERKSEN, ANTHONIA

Anthonia Derksen passed away on August 25, 2014, at her home in Sun Pointe Village, Kelowna, lovingly surrounded by her son, John Droog of Oliver, BC and his wife Rita and her daughter Inger Droog of Calgary, AB, and the compassionate staff of Sun Pointe Village.  She would have been 96 on September 4th.

Anthonia Angenitha van Havezaat was born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on September 4, 1918 and was the only child of her parents, Anton and Petronella van Havezaat.

She was a fun loving girl and active young women with rowing and tennis as her favourite sports and music and dancing as her favourite pastime.  She also loved the outdoors and in her later years spent many happy hours in her garden growing vegetables and flowers.

Anthonia married Jan Droog in Rotterdam, the Netherlands in 1939, and after a divorce in 1951, married Jan Derksen in Duivendrecht NL in 1952, and suddenly the family with two children grew to be a family with 6 children.  With their 5 sons and 1 daughter,  Jan and Anthonia Derksen decided to pioneer and immigrate to Alberta Canada by boat, and train in April of 1952, finding employment and a comfortable house in Ponoka Alberta, where in 1955, daughter Frances was born. In 1962 Anthonia became the secretary to the Alberta Hospital Administrator in Ponoka. In the late 60’s the family moved to Edson Alberta where Anthonia worked as secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture. She loved her secretarial work outside the home. Anthonia retired and with her husband Jan, and moved to Dehart Road in Kelowna in 1979 where she continued her various hobbies.  She always had a ready coffee or tea for the many neighbours and visiting friends from Holland and the many other places coming to holiday in Kelowna.

She played the piano and organized and music for the local musical band, “The OK Happy Gang,” in OK Mission, was active in her church, in several social clubs throughout the community while living in Kelowna.

Anthonia was predeceased by son, Dirk Derksen, her husband, Jan Derksen of Kelowna, daughter Frances McKeever of Calgary, and daughter in law Alida Derksen of Edson.  She leaves to honor her memory:  Her daughter Inger Droog of Calgary, AB, and her sons John Droog of Oliver BC, Steve Derksen of Edson AB, Jan Derksen JR. of Red Deer, AB, Phil Derksen, of Ponoka AB, as well as fourteen grandchildren and numerous great–grandchildren and great-great grandchildren in Alberta, BC and Costa Rica.

A Funeral service will be held on Saturday, August 30, at 1:30 P.M. in Evangel Church on Gordon Drive in Kelowna with Interment in the Memorial Park cemetery at 3:00 P.M.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Heart & Stroke Foundation, #4 – 1551 Sutherland Ave., Kelowna, BC V1Y 9M9. 

Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.springfieldfuneralhome.com, 250-860-7077.



Your condolences will be approved within one business day. You will need a valid Facebook account. Please email us if you have any questions.