Remembering our roots ~ Jerry and Nancy Kamphuis

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By John Godsman Times Contributor

The Kamphuis family name originates from the Netherlands. Jerry’s father Johannes and his wife Berinda along with their three children immigrated to Edmonton in 1953 to join his cousin who was their sponsor. Jerry was born in May 1958, the first child born in Canada, followed by a sister. His other three siblings had been born in Holland.
Jerry attended school in Black Diamond where his dad looked after a chicken farm. Following graduation from Grade 12, Jerry worked with a drywall company; then in 1978, he joined Air Canada and spent the next 13 years working in flight operations, baggage control, etc.
Nancy’s family also originated in the Netherlands. Nancy’s father, Cornelius Radder, emigrated with his family to the United States when he was five years of age. He served in the United States Air Force during the Second World War, then immigrated to Canada, to Holland Marsh north of Toronto, in 1949. Nancy’s mother Maria, also born in the Netherlands, came to Canada in 1950 to marry Cornelius. They were married that year and had five children, of which Nancy is the middle.
Nancy’s father Cornelius worked for Air Canada and in 1974, the family moved to Calgary where Nancy graduated from high school. Nancy attended DeVry Business College, then worked for Air Canada and Dome Petroleum. Jerry and Nancy met at a church in Calgary in 1976 and were married in 1980. They have three children and four grandchildren.
In 1984, Jerry and Nancy purchased a farm located one mile south of Log Cabin Service Station (orange and white stripes) which used to stand on the north side of the TransCanada Highway just east of the weigh station. Jerry continued working with Air Canada for another seven years at the same time as they were developing Country Lane Farms. Jerry was also installing computer ventilation controls for buildings housing poultry and hogs, and potato storage.
In 1999, they sold the location and purchased land just north of the highway on the same road as the original farm. There, they built up Country Lane Farms with a new barn, and 10 years later, a new house constructed by everyone in the family, along with friends.
While raising their family in the Strathmore area, Jerry and Nancy were very involved in the Strathmore Alliance Church, serving in many areas including children’s ministries and church finances. Now, they continue to volunteer at the Strathmore Heritage Days, and donate to and work with organizations like the Mustard Seed, Calgary Dream Centre and other needy causes, which have always been a high priority for them.
The biggest change they’ve seen in this area over the past 20 years or so is the increase in traffic volume, population growth and all the fairly recent box stores in Strathmore.