She worked as a housekeeper for her Tantje(Aunt) Hiltje Andringa Buurstra until she married around age 30. She lost her father when she was age 31, her mother when she was 45 and her husband to cancer when she was 46. After he died, the family was assigned government housing, and she worked cleaning for others. She saved enough money for her and her 2 sons to emigrate in 1948 when she was age 51 aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam to New Jersey where they stayed with her younger brother, Dirk, their sponsor.
Because she spoke "Bildts," a dialect of Het Bildt in northernmost Holland, it was often difficult for even other immigrants from The Netherlands to understand her. She was a hard worker and for the remainder of her life, she continued to do housekeeping for others although she was never able to fully master English.
She will always be remembered as a friendly, outgoing woman who dearly loved her sons and her grandchildren, and for the personal sacrifice she made so that her sons could have a better life. After she died her ashes were brought back to The Netherlands by her eldest son and were buried in her husband's grave.
She worked as a housekeeper for her Tantje(Aunt) Hiltje Andringa Buurstra until she married around age 30. She lost her father when she was age 31, her mother when she was 45 and her husband to cancer when she was 46. After he died, the family was assigned government housing, and she worked cleaning for others. She saved enough money for her and her 2 sons to emigrate in 1948 when she was age 51 aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam to New Jersey where they stayed with her younger brother, Dirk, their sponsor.
Because she spoke "Bildts," a dialect of Het Bildt in northernmost Holland, it was often difficult for even other immigrants from The Netherlands to understand her. She was a hard worker and for the remainder of her life, she continued to do housekeeping for others although she was never able to fully master English.
She will always be remembered as a friendly, outgoing woman who dearly loved her sons and her grandchildren, and for the personal sacrifice she made so that her sons could have a better life. After she died her ashes were brought back to The Netherlands by her eldest son and were buried in her husband's grave.
Inscription
RUSTPLAATS van onze lieve ouders (Resting Place of our dear parents)
Jochem Ketellapper
* 19_2_1898 + 14_9_1943
en
Antje Andringa
* 13_8_1896 + 23_1_1974
1 Cor. 15:55
Martin
Peter
Family Members
See more Ketellapper or Andringa memorials in:
- Sint Jacobiparochie General Cemetery Ketellapper or Andringa
- Sint Jacobiparochie Ketellapper or Andringa
- Het Bildt Municipality Ketellapper or Andringa
- Friesland Ketellapper or Andringa
- Netherlands Ketellapper or Andringa
- Find a Grave Ketellapper or Andringa