Lou's funeral

FUNERAL LOU SOET
April 2004

Some photographs made by Koos Koot
during the funeral of Lou Soet
on 19th, 20th and 21st April 2004

On Wednesday 14th April we were shocked to receive a telephone call from Piet Gieles who had just heard about the death of Lou Soet, our brother-in-law and Mies's husband. They emigrated to Canada in 1953 and eventually settled in Vancouver.
We were already aware that Mies's health was not so good and that it would be desirable for An (my wife and Mies's sister), to visit Vancouver in the near future. So far this had been impossible because of operations on both of An's eyes for cataract.
When they were young Mies and An had spent a lot of time together and we therefore felt that during these difficult days we would be very welcome.
Lou died during the night of 14th April at about 1 o'clock. We heard about it at about 10:30 in the morning as a result of the time difference. Marja, our daughter, investigated whether it would be possible to leave for Canada immediately with the condition that we had to be back by Sunday 25th April for an operation on An's eye on Monday 26th April. There was a flight at 10:15 the following morning returning on Friday 23rd April. We had to wait until we could contact the family in Canada to check whether our visit would be convenient for them. You never know. In Vancouver it was the middle of the night due again to the time difference, and we had to wait until 5 o'clock before we could contact them. We were indeed more than welcome. Following a nine-hour flight we arrived at 11 o'clock local time in Vancouver on Thursday 15th April.
I took a number of photos as a remembrance even though there was a request not to take photos in the church and besides photographing a funeral is hardly considered normal. However I hope they provide an impression of the funeral in Canada.
It was of course very tiring. We noticed this particularly once we had returned home. We were warmly welcomed by the our relations in Canada and their appreciation was expressed in the several outings they organised which made the journey more than worthwhile.
It should not go unmentioned that on both the outward and return journeys (we flew with KLM in a Boeing 737) we took off and landed precisely on time.

Koos.

Photo 6
The service in the church on Monday 19th April.
The coffin still closed.

Photo 9
Monday evening again in the church, paying last respects .

Photo 12
Also on Monday, paying last respects.
On the second pew, from right to left: Lon van Oord (an old friend), Miriam and An.

Photo 20
Lou, at the chapel of rest on the evening of Tuesday 20th April.

Photo 19
The partly opened coffin at the chapel of rest on Tuesday evening.

Photo 37
Leaving the church on Wednesday 21st April.
The Knights of Columbus, of which Lou was a member, lined up on both sides.

Photo 49
The coffin above the open grave. There are no headstones in this cemetery but instead small (about 12 inches by 20 inches) stones with an inscription are laid flat on the grass. This is to allow machine mowing of the meadow, which therefore looks like a huge football field.

Photo 53
This photograph clarifies the above. Here and there bushes and trees are planted.
The stones are placed randomly. There is one coffin per stone. In Canada there is enough room !
The skyline of Vancouver can be seen in the background.

Photo 58
Entrance to the church where the funeral took place.

Photo 61
A photo collage made by Diane, the wife of Richard Soet, on display at the reception after the funeral.

Photo 73
The parting meal on Wednesday evening. Standing from left to right: Sylvia-Peter-Diane-Miriam-. Sitting, from left to right: Koos-An-Lon van Oord-Lennart-Mimsey-Mies and Richard.

The eldest son of Mies and Lou, Lennart Soet, wrote a "In Memoriam" for his father.
Lou's eldest sister, Leonie, did the same for her brother.
Both texts can be found in Memorial