Remembering our roots ~John & Betty Huizinga

John Godsman
Times Contributor

 

John Huizinga and Betty Kloostra were born in Holland, and their Dutch Christian names were Jan and Tetje, which they changed when they arrived at Pier 21 in Halifax in 1952, with their respective families.
John’s father and 12 siblings were dairy farmers in Holland, so it was natural for them to purchase farmland when they arrived in Ontario. Following the Second World War, large numbers of immigrants started arriving at Pier 21 in Halifax from countries all over Europe, as there were no homes – indeed for some, no countries – to return to.
The number of Dutch immigrants was so high that the government of the Netherlands restricted how much money families were allowed to take out of the country, in order to preserve the Dutch economy. Many Dutch immigrants converted money into household goods to bring to Canada. It was a memorable day in 1952 at the Custom’s Dept. at Pier 21 in Halifax, when a prefabricated home was unloaded from a Holland America liner. This two-storey home belonged to John’s father, and was unique as it came in sections, and had to be put together when it arrived in Forrest, Ont. where they had purchased farmland. The main floor contained the kitchen, dining room and front room, and there were four bedrooms upstairs. It was easily put together, and the family moved in.
John was born in Holland in 1938, a twin, but his twin sister died early on. He was the middle child of 10 children. He completed grade school in Holland, then took night school when he reached Canada. He obtained a diploma for layout and drafting at the University of Waterloo, followed by steel fabrication and welding, at Sarnia. He bought an old blacksmith’s shop with forge in Palmerston, Ont. in 1968, providing welding services to a growing community. They sold this business in 1976, and moved to Calgary with their two sons. It was a new adventure for all of them.
Betty was born in Friesland in Northern Holland, where her parents also ran a dairy farm, right beside the dyke (sea wall) separating the North Sea from the Zuider Zee. She was the third youngest of a family of eight children, and took all her education after arriving in Ridgetown, Ont. Both families continued as dairy farmers, but before they could do very much, they had to go to school to learn the English language – these were challenging times learning a new culture.
Betty’s parents also grew cash crops like tomatoes and cucumbers, fields of them, for H.J. Heinz Co. This was what kept the children busy all summer!
John and Betty met at a church function in Forrest, Ont. in 1960, and were married in 1964, in Wingham, Ontario. They had two sons, and now have three grandchildren.
They moved to Calgary in 1975, where Betty worked at Rockyview Hospital and Colonel Belcher, and John worked for Triangle Steel. In 1977, they moved to Campbell River, B.C. where John had no problem obtaining employment as a steel fabricator. Betty worked for the Campbell River Hospital as a support worker in many areas, and during this time took a two-year program from Athabasca College, and received her diploma for food and nutrition supervisor. In 1985, their boys were accepted into the University of Calgary, so the whole family moved to Strathmore. They now had three sons, as John’s nephew came and lived with them. John worked on many of the 1988 Winter Olympic projects. He did all the layout for the bobsleigh run, and worked on the Olympic Oval, as well as the buildings at Nakiska.
After the Winter Olympic Games, they returned to Campbell River in 1989, where John worked for Finning Canada until 1998, when they moved back to Alberta, settling in Strathmore. They purchased a four-bay warehouse with mini storage, and John started a small welding shop in one of the bays, and named it Country Air Holdings.
This business served the surrounding community for the next eight years, and John enjoyed meeting all his new customers, as well as attending chamber of commerce meetings.
In 2006, they sold the shop to Stadco Steel Industries, and moved on at a slower pace, enjoying other adventures. They opened “My Secret Garden Bed and Breakfast” in Strathmore, and also opened an antique shop in Nanton, called “Special Things and More.”
They are now fully retired and living in Strathmore. They attend The Alliance Church, and have made many friends there. They wish to thank all the people who have supported them in business and friendship over the past 16 years, and look forward to what lies ahead. Being so close to the City of Calgary is wonderful, as they know they can come home to a quieter life, and enjoy all the walking paths and parks in our town.