Anthonia 'Tonny'
Verwijs, 95
Anthonia "Tonny" Verwijs passed away on August 24th, 2023 at the Westminster Village Skilled Nursing Care Center.
Tonny was born August 9, 1928, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The youngest of 10 children (8 of them girls), Tonny was pre-deceased by her parents Johan and Fredrika, her 9 siblings and her loving husband Anton. She is survived by her sons Hans (Lynn) and Eric (Sonia), and her grandchildren William, Michelle, Elizabeth and Christopher. A happy family, she always kept in touch with her sibling's children.
Her life was marked early on by WW2. In 1940, the Germans invaded and bombed Rotterdam, destroying much of the historic city, but her family's home was spared. She and her family survived the terrible "Hunger Winter" of 1944/1945, before being liberated by Canadian soldiers in May 1945.
Tonny joined the "MARVA" at 20, the women's auxiliary of the Royal Dutch Navy, achieving the rank of Seargent. Her service in the navy took her to Indonesia, where she served for 4 years. She met her husband, Anton, in Rotterdam and the two married, had a son Hans, and emigrated to Canada in 1962, where she had her second son, Eric, in 1964.
Tonny traveled extensively over the years, once traveling with Anton, her sister and brother-in-law, by car all across North America. A devout Christian, she also traveled to Turkey and the Holy Land, visiting areas important in the history of the Christian faith. Tonny and Anton loved cruising, once taking a tour to Alaska, and another time to Australia and New Zealand. In their 80's, they undertook a world-wide tour, stopping at such noteworthy locations as Easter Island, Barbados, Dakar, Ascension Island, Cape Town, Singapore, Manila, Bora-Bora, and Pitcairn Island.
A skilled artist, Tonny excelled at sketching, watercolor and oil painting. While living in Montreal, she earned a diploma in Library Technology and worked at a variety of library positions until Anton's company compelled them to move to New Jersey in the U.S., where they became U.S. citizens.
Tonny was an active church member in the towns where she lived, participating as a soprano in the choir and acting, at various times, as a deacon and elder. She made many close friends in the church communities in which she served and was loved by all who met her.
Family and friends are invited to visit on Wednesday, August 30th, from noon to 1:00PM at the Presbyterian Church of Dover, 54 S. State St., Dover. The service will follow at 1:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks contributions to be made to the Presbyterian Church of Dover.
Letters of condolence may be sent, and guestbook signed at www.torbertfuneral.com