Gertrude ‘Truus’ Hegeman

  In the Lord’s time, He took our dear mother, mother-in-law, grandmother and great-grandmother “Oma” Truus Hegeman (nee Van Wingerden) to Himself on June 12, 2021. She was 99 years old.
  Truus lived by her faith in the Lord. “I love the LORD, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live.” (Psalm 116: 1-2)
  Truus was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Cornelis Hegeman, who passed away in 1981 in Ermelo, the Netherlands; and her daughter, Nella, who passed away in 2006 in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada.
  She is survived by five children: Johan Hegeman of Ede, the Netherlands, Lona Hegeman of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, Trudy Hegeman of Lynden, Neal Hegeman of Anniston, Alabama, and Benjamin of Houghton, New York; five brothers, John Van Wingerden of Lynden; Case Van Wingerden of Augusta, New Jersey; Bill Van Wingerden of Pompton Plains, New Jersey; Arie Van Wingerden of Pompton Plains; and Abraham Van Wingerden of Pompton Plains; two sisters, Christina De Groot (nee Van Wingerden) and Jannie Van Vugt (nee Van Wingerden), both of Pompton Plains.
  Truus was born May 31, 1922, to Leendert and Aplonia Van Wingerden in Ridderkerk, the Netherlands. She was the third child in a family of 11 children. Before her marriage she aided her parents in their agrarian business and taught needlecraft at a grade school in Ridderkerk. She was a member of the Netherlands Reformed Congregations (NRC) her entire life. In 1946 Truus married Cornelis Hegeman, then a seminary student of the NRC
  After the birth of their eldest son, Johan, her husband accepted a pastoral position at the NRC church in Paterson, New Jersey, which meant they had to immigrate to the USA. There her daughters Lona, Nella and Trudy were born. In 1952, the family moved to Sioux Center, Iowa, where her husband was the pastor of the NRC church. In this immigrant community she flourished, and her youngest sons, Neal and Ben, were born. In 1957, Truus, her husband and six children moved back to the Netherlands to live in Genemuiden. The family moved again within five years back to Sioux Center IA where they lived for an additional five years, after which they moved to Markham, Ontario, Canada, where they lived for five years. Finally, the minister couple again returned to the Netherlands where they served in Tholen, Veenendaal and Ermelo.
  Several years after her husband passed away, Truus went to live near her Van Wingerden siblings in Pompton Plains NJ. With their help, she was able to live a comfortable life, correspond much with children and grandchildren, volunteer at the NRC school library, and aid other family members with sewing and mending of clothes. In 2015 Truus accepted an invitation to live with her daughter Trudy in Lynden WA and she was immensely grateful for that.
  Truus’ final years were occupied with much reading and staying connected with her family and friends. Her ability to stay involved in their lives was notable and very much appreciated, especially by her 11 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren, living in Africa, Europe, Canada and the USA. The family is thankful Oma was cared for with much love and devotion by her daughter Trudy at their home until her passing away.
  Visitation will be at Gillies Funeral Home from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 22. The memorial service will be held at the Netherlands Reformed Congregations church, 8581 Depot Rd., at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 23, with Reverend John Den Hoed officiating. Graveside committal will follow in Monumenta Cemetery of Lynden.
  Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services.