Louis and Wilma

(L to R: Allan, Kristina, Dad, Mom, Louis, me, Wilma.  Front: Heidi, Mike)

Our long time family friend, Louis Hegeman, passed away peacefully after a long struggle with cancer on Saturday, May 15 in Holland.  His wife Wilma and my mom have been friends since they were young girls in school together in Holland.  I've always appreciated how my parents have kept in touch with them over the years, across time zones and oceans.

Louis, Wilma, Erica, Peter, and Marijan Hegeman were common household discussion growing up.  Some of my memories of Louis involve:

-visiting them in Holland when I was 9 and wearing Louis' firefighter's suit and getting a ride in the firetruck.

-camping with them in the Rockies and helping Louis buy cigarettes at the corner store because he didn't speak a word of English.  Here I was, just a kid and definitely underage, translating his gestures for the cashier to grab the right package.  I thought I was going to go to prison or something because I was his underage accomplice.

-Wilma and Louis attending my profession of faith on August 6, 2000.

-him calling me into the living room on one of their visits to Canada, pointing downstairs, making a beer drinking motion towards his mouth, and signaling the number two with his fingers.  That meant "Krista, run and get me two cans of beer from downstairs."  He always made me laugh with stuff like that.

-Wilma and Louis' most recent visit to Canada in 2008 and attending the Prins Reunion with us (see picture above), and coming to Vancouver and seeing me coach at a hockey camp in Langley.

I'm sure there are more, but that's what comes off the top of my head.  He will be missed.