Koopman, Cornelis "Kees"

We are grateful for the life of Kees Koopman, husband of Anneline, father of Hester and Erik, father-in-law of Ron MacDonald and Pamela Gordon, grandfather of Nowlan, Fiona, Charlotte, and Calla.

Kees was born in Vianen, in the Netherlands, July 4^th, 1946, the second child of seven, born to Jan and Niek Koopman (nee Ekker).

Kees’s older sister, Hesje, passed away when she was five years old. Kees was three at the time. This had a big impact on him, his parents, and his whole family. Every two years, another sibling came into Kees’s world. Three brothers, Jan, Barth, and Maarten, and two sisters, Nicolette and Caroline. It was a close-knit family.

From a young age, Kees showed talent as a handyman; he was inventive, resourceful, and very strong. He once took the family radio apart and put it back together again.

Kees was very close with his brother, Jan, who was two years younger. They got into much mischief together. And the stories about their pranks and antics have delighted his children and grandchildren for years.

Kees was challenged at school with dyslexia. and went to a specialized, applied school. To do this, he left home at 12 years old to board with friends. This helped make him resilient and self-sufficient.

After school, he served in the Dutch army and was trained as a medic. Till his dying day, he kept a fresh bandage in his wallet, “just in case.”

He went on to study at an agricultural college, and had diverse jobs in Holland, Italy, Belgium, and the Caribbean. In 1971, Kees met, then soon married Anneline Droste. They decided to emigrate to Canada, after some adventures running a farm in Antigua. When they arrived, they purchased a large tract of forest land. While living in a construction trailer, Kees cut down an area of trees, milled the wood, then proceeded to build his own log home, and dug his own well. Soon, Kees started his own concrete and landscaping business.

Kees was a physically strong man, who loved building and construction work. No job was too small or too hard for Kees. He was always ready and willing to help others with a building project. He was determined, stubborn, calm, stable, trustworthy, funny, loving, and the patriarch of the family. Always ready to listen in his own patient way.

We will miss him so much. It was his time to join his beloved parents and little sister, and we will keep him in our hearts.

Private Family Arrangements at this time.

As your expression of sympathy, donations to the Brightshores Meaford Hospital Foundation choice would be appreciated and may be made through the Ferguson Funeral Home, 48 Boucher St. E., Meaford, ON   N4L 1B9 to whom arrangements have been entrusted.   www.fergusonfuneralhomes.ca