My family history is very important to me. Most important is my Dutch heritage. I am fortunate to have this account of how my Oma and Opa met in Holland in 1939. This account (written by my mom), was read at my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary celebration in 2006.
Unfortunately, my Oma passed away on December 26, 2006. I miss her very much.
My Opa is still going strong. He is healthy and keeps himself busy on his ranch, but he is very lonely without my Oma.
THE STORY OF JACK AND HENNY KROON
ONCE UPON A TIME, A YOUNG LADY NAMED HENDRIKA OLIEMAN WAS WORKING AT THE TEN HOOPEN BAKERY IN DEN HAGUE, OWNED BY HER SISTER AND BROTHER-IN-LAW, CLAZIEN & JOOP TEN HOOPEN.
IN 1939, 22 YEAR OLD JACOBUS KROON CAME TO WORK IN THE BAKERY, TAKING THE PLACE OF HIS BROTHER PIET KROON. HENNY (AS HENDRIKA WAS KNOWN) WAS 21 YEAR OLD AT THE TIME. WHEN SHE HEARD THAT CO (AS JACOBUS WAS CALLED) WAS GOING ICE SKATING WITH SOME OF THE “BOYS”, SHE INVITED HERSELF ALONG AND BRAVELY JOINED IN AS THE ONLY GIRL ON THE OUTING! THUS BEGAN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HENNY & CO (OR JACK AS HE WOULD BE KNOWN IN AMERICA).
IN 1940, HISTORY WAS MADE WHEN GERMANY INVADED THE NETHERLANDS ON MAY 10TH AND HENNY & CO ANNOUNCED THEIR ENGAGEMENT ON NOVEMBER 1ST (HENNY’S 22ND BIRTHDAY).
FOR TWO YEARS THE ENGAGED COUPLE WORKED TOGETHER IN THE TEN HOOPEN BAKERY UNTIL 1942 WHEN JACK QUIT THE BAKERY TO WORK AT A DAIRY IN WOUDSEDYK (2 ½ HOURS BY BICYCLE FROM DEN HAGUE). WITH JACK’S MOVE TO WOUDSEDYK, THE COUPLE SAW EACH OTHER ONLY EVERY TWO WEEKS, SOMETIMES TRAVELING BY TRAIN WHEN THEY COULD, BUT MORE OFTEN BY BICYCLE. ON ONE VISIT HENNY WOULD MAKE THE 2 ½ HOUR RIDE AND THE NEXT VISIT JACK WOULD TRAVEL TO HENNY’S. THIS ARRANGEMENT CONTINUED UNTIL 1943 WHEN JACK WENT TO WORK AT THE JOOP VISSER DAIRY IN TER AAR (JACK’S HOME TOWN). THAT SAME YEAR, HENNY MOVED TO VOORBURG TO LIVE WITH HER SISTER AND BROTHER-IN-LAW, GRE & COR DYKMAN AND HELP CARE FOR HER NEW NEPHEW, NICO DYKMAN.
AS WORLD WAR II CONTINUED, JACK & HENNY WAITED FOR THE DAY THEY COULD BE MARRIED AND CONTINUED THEIR LONG-DISTANCE COURTSHIP. IN 1944, HENNY MOVED BACK TO HER HOME PLACE IN WILSVEEN TO LIVE WITH HER BROTHER NICO OLIEMAN AND HIS FAMILY; AND IN 1945 JACK WENT TO WORK ON THE RODENBURG DAIRY IN HOGEDIJK. THE DISTANCE BETWEEN WILSVEEN AND HOGEDIJK MEANT THE COUPLE HAD TO RIDE BICYCLES FOR 3 HOURS TO SEE EACH OTHER. (BECAUSE THE WAR TRAINS WERE NO LONGER RUNNING.)
FINALLY IN MAY OF 1945 THE WAR ENDED AND JACK AND HENNY COULD START TO PLAN A WEDDING. ALMOST A YEAR LATER, AFTER A 6 YEAR ENGAGEMENT, THE WEDDING DAY ARRIVED!
ON APRIL 25, 1946 IN THE TOWN OF LEIDSCHENDAM HENDRIKA OLIEMAN AND JACOBUS KROON WERE MARRIED. A CIVIL CEREMONY TOOK PLACE FIRST AT THE LOCAL COURTHOUSE AND THEN THE BRIDAL COUPLE PROCEEDED TO THE NEDERLANDS HERVORMED CHURCH WHERE THEIR RELIGIOUS MARRIAGE CEREMONY WAS HELD AT 2:30 IN THE AFTERNOON. FOLLOWING THE CHURCH CEREMONY, THE NEWLYWEDS AND THEIR FAMILY & GUESTS TRAVELED TO VOORBURG IN A PROCESSION OF 13 HORSE-DRAWN BUGGIES DECORATED WITH FLOWERS. IN VOORBURG, THE WEDDING PARTY WENT TO AN AMUSEMENT PARK COMPLEX FOR COFFEE AND A WEDDING TOAST! FROM VOORBURG THE NEWLYWEDS AND THEIR GUESTS (STILL IN THE 13 HORSE-DRAWN BUGGIES ) TRAVELED TO THE BRIDE’S HOME IN WILSVEEN FOR THE WEDDING SUPPER. TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THE GUESTS THE BRIDE’S FAMILY HAD TRANSFORMED THE BARN INTO A DINING HALL, COMPLETE WITH A WOODEN FLOOR MADE ESPECIALLY FOR THE OCCASION. THE WEDDING SUPPER CONTINUED UNTIL 4:00 O’CLOCK THE NEXT MORNING WHEN THE MEN HAD TO LEAVE TO GO HOME AND MILK THE COWS.
MR. AND MRS JACOBUS KROON MADE THEIR FIRST HOME IN NIEUWKOOP ON A DIARY THEY LEASED FROM ARIE VAN DAM. IT WAS HERE THEIR FIRST SON, JACOBUS NICOLAAS (WHO WOULD BE KNOWN AS JOHN) WAS BORN ON FEBRUARY 11, 1947.
JACK AND HENNY HAD APPLIED TO EMIGRATE TO AMERICA AFTER THE WAR AND IN ANTICIPATION OF THEIR PAPERS FINALLY COMING THROUGH, THEY SOLD OUT THEIR LEASE ON THE NIEUWKOOP DAIRY IN APRIL 1948. WHILE THEY WAITED FOR THE WHEELS OF GOVERNMENT TO SLOWLY TURN, THEY WENT BACK TO WILSVEEN AND STAYED WITH NICO OLIEMAN AND FAMILY FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. WHEN THEIR PAPERS STILL HAD NOT COME THROUGH, THEY MOVED TO YSSELSTEIN AND LIVED WITH HENNY’S SISTER & BROTHER IN LAW, WILLIE AND LUIT BLOM.
FINALLY ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1948, THE COUPLE’S TENACITY PAID OFF AND JACK OBTAINED THEIR PAPERS FOR AMERICA. WITH PERMISSION IN HAND HE PROCEEDED TO THE HOLLAND-AMERICAN LINES OFFICE TO BOOK PASSAGE ON THE FIRST AVAILABLE SHIP TO AMERICA. WITH THE HELP OF HIS “SOB STORY” ABOUT HIS YOUNG, HOMELESS FAMILY, HE WAS ABLE TO GET PASSAGE ON THE “EDAM” SAILING IN NINE DAYS!
ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1948, JACK, HENNY AND 7 MONTH OLD JOHNNY SAILED FROM ROTTERDAM FOR AMERICA. THE SHIP ARRIVED IN PHILADELPHIA ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1ST. BECAUSE IT WAS THE WEEKEND AND NO DOCTORS WERE AVAILABLE TO GIVE THE NEWLY REQUIRED TB TESTS, THE FAMILY HAD TO SPEND THE WEEKEND AT ELLIS ISLAND. UNFORTUNATELY FOR THE YOUNG DUTCH FAMILY, THE MAIN ITEM ON THE MENU AT ELLIS ISLAND WAS SPANISH RICE! THIS MADE THEIR RELEASE ON MONDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 45TH, ALL THE MORE ENJOYABLE.
UPON LEAVING ELLIS ISLAND, THEY BOARDED A TRAIN FOR CHICAGO WHERE THEY SWITCHED TRAINS FOR THEIR DESTINATION; LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. ON OCTOBER 7, 1949 THEY ARRIVED IN L.A. WITH $5 CASH IN THEIR POCKET! THEY STAYED WITH HENNY’S SISTER AND BROTHER-IN-LAW, GRE & COR DYKMAN (WHO HAD OBVIOUSLY EMIGATED TO AMERICA BEFORE THEM!). AFTER THREE WEEKS, THEY MOVED TO THE MONTROSE DAIRY IN EL MONTE, CALIFORNIA, WHERE JACK WENT TO WORK FOR COR VAN DAM.
NINE MONTHS AFTER SAILING ACROSS THE ATLANTIC, JACK AND HENNY HAD THEIR SECOND SON, NICOLAAS (KNOWN AS NICK) BORN ON JUNE 15, 1949 IN ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA. (ALL OF HIS LIFE NICOLAAS SUFFERED FROM CHRONIC MOTION SICKNESS WHICH HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO HIS CONCEPTION ON THE ROLLING SEA!)
THE NEXT YEAR, ON AUGUST 24, 1950, A THIRD SON WAS BORN, CORNELIS (KNOWN AS CORNY). HE ALSO ARRIVED AT THE HOSPITAL IN ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA.
BY 1952, JACK AND HENNY HAD SAVED ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY THEIR OWN DAIRY IN FARMINGTON, CALIFORNIA. SO IN SEPTEMBER OF THAT YEAR THEY LOADED THEIR POSSESSIONS, 5 ½ YEAR OLD JOHNNY, 3 YEAR OLD NICO AND 2 YEAR OLD CORNY IN THE FAMILY PICKUP AND MOVED NORTH TO THE HOME PLACE ON SONORA ROAD. TWO YEARS LATER, ON JULY 5, 1954 THEY HAD A LITTLE BABY GIRL, WINNIE, BORN AT THE HOSPITAL IN OAKDALE, CALIFORNIA.
AS JACK AND HENNY CELEBRATE 60 YEARS OF MARRIAGE, THEIR FAMILY HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE THREE DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW (GAYLE, SHERI-LEE AND KATHY), A SON-IN-LAW (STEVE), EIGHT GRANDCHILDREN (GARY AND WIFE SARA, JOEY AND WIFE JEANNINE, KEVIN, TOD AND WIFE AMY LYNN, AMY AND HUSBAND JEFF, KURT AND WIFE SALLY, LINDY AND DIRK), EIGHT GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN (LORI, JAKE, KELLY, JOSH, MEGAN, MAISIE KROON, AND MAREE AND NICOLETTE SEIBEL.
NOT BAD FOR A COUPLE OF CRAZY KIDS WHO MET IN A BAKERY, SURVIVED A WORLD WAR, EMIGRATED TO A NEW COUNTRY, TAUGHT THEMSELVES A NEW LANGUAGE AND HAVE NOT SLEPT APART FROM EACH OTHER MORE THAN A HANDFUL OF TIMES IN THE 21,900 DAYS THEY HAVE BEEN MARRIED.
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