Geertje “Nellie” DeHoog went home to be with her Lord on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.
Nellie was born on her mother’s birthday in 1933 to Jacob and Adriana Barendregt in the Netherlands, the oldest of seven children. At age 7 she became a courier for the Dutch Resistance Movement when Germany invaded the Netherlands in World War II. After the war, her entire family immigrated to the United States, settling in California.
There she met and married a fellow Dutch immigrant, Abraham “Bram” DeHoog. While on vacation to visit family in Whatcom County, they purchased a dairy farm and moved their family to Sumas. Nellie worked the farm with Bram for many years. Usually where one was, the other was also. After her beloved husband passed away in 1984, she continued to keep the books for the farm and got her real estate license. When she decided that wasn’t her calling, she started working for Whatcom Farmers Co-op in the convenience stores where she stayed until her retirement. She loved getting out and meeting people. Her laugh is what many people remember about her.
Nellie enjoyed gardening, especially roses, counted cross stitch, reading, music and traveling. She traveled all over the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Central America, Panama Canal and Europe.
She is survived by her children: Paulina (Don), Adriana (Larry), Jasper and Jacob (Amy); 13 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; two brothers; two sisters; two brothers-in-law; two sisters-in-laws; and numerous nieces and nephews.
There will be a celebration of life service at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, in Sumas Christian Reformed Church. A private family burial will precede in Monumenta Cemetery earlier in the day.
Memorials are suggested to the Lynden Christian School Endowment Fund at 417 Lyncs Dr., Lynden, WA 98264.
The family thanks the staff at the Christian Health Care Center for their excellent and loving care for Mom.
You are invited to share your condolences and memories in the online guestbook at www.gilliesfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Lynden.
