Albert (Grote Albert)
Brouwer
Opa was born on the farm in Lathum and lived there for 67 years until immigration
Wilhelmina (Mina)
Adriana Overeem
Oma was born in Hemmen, 35 km from Lathum, on the other side of Arnhem.
Derk Brouwer
(father of Albert)
Opa Opa died at age 48, when Opa was 13
Albert Brouwer
& Wilhelmina Overeem
Opa & Oma married in Lathum six weeks after first meeting
Jantje (Jenny) Geertruida
Brouwer
Jenny was Opa & Oma Brouwer’s first child. Pictured here leading the horse.
Ludovicus Hendricus (Henk)
Brouwer
Henk, the oldest son was named after Oma’s father.
The Great Depression
This lasted pretty much till WWII
Geertruida Maria
(Geertje/Trudy) Brouwer
Trudy was the third child for Opa & Oma
Derk (Dick)
Brouwer
Dick, the fourth child, was named after Opa’s father. Pictured are Henk, Oma with Dick, Jenny and Trudy.
Jan Willem (Wim/Bill)
Brouwer
Bill was the fifth child. Pictured are Jenny, Bill, Trudy, Dick and Henk
Gerard (Gerald) Louis
Brouwer
Gerald was the sixth child. Pictured here sitting on Opa’s lap, with Dick, Henk and Bill behind
1940 – 1950
Netherlands Invaded
The Netherlands surrendered after five days
Alberta (Betty)
Wilhelmina Maria Brouwer
Betty was the seventh child for Opa & Oma — only one to be born during the war. Pictured, back to front, are Jenny, Bill and Trudy, Opa, Oma with Betty, Henk with goat, Dick and Gerald.
Henk Brouwer goes into hiding
At age 16, Henk avoided going to Germany to work
The Battle of Arnhem
The “bridge too far” was on the other side of Arnhem from Lathum and saw heavy fighting in this failed Allied invasion.
Liberation Day
Cor Brouwer lodging
Eight years lodging with the Brouwers till immigration. Cor was no relation.
Wilhelmina (Ineke)
Geertruida Louisa Brouwer
Ineke was the eighth and youngest of Opa & Oma’s children, born six years before their first grandchild (also Ineke). Pictured here: Ineke with Betty.
Dick Brouwer leaves for Canada
Dick leaves soon after turning 18. He misses the Bruinekool wedding and niece Ineke’s birth
1950 – 1960
Bill Bruinekool
& Jenny Brouwer
Bill and Jenny started dating during the war. They moved into a renovated ‘chicken coop’ behind the barn when married.
Searching for farms
Brouwers look for land to rent or a bigger farm and almost emigrate
Ineke Bruinekool
Ineke is the first child of Bill & Jenny, first grandchild of Opa & Oma.
Bill & Jenny’s children:
Ineke, Marietta, Henk, Elsie, Joanne, Nancy, Brian
The Flood – ‘Het Ramp’
Catastrophic flooding in the Netherlands did not reach the Brouwers, but some went to help
Dick Brouwer comes back for a visit
Dick impresses his family enough that they immigrated shortly after his visit
Brouwer family Immigration
The Brouwers sailed on the Zuiderkruis to Canada, arriving in Quebec City –Opa & Oma with six children (not Bruinekools)
Cor de Jong Immigration
Cor left for Canada on the next boat after the Brouwers left.
Brouwers live in Dick’s house
Brouwers had to live with Dick for one month before their rented house became available.
Brouwers live on a rented farm
at Carlton & Bunting. Containers with furniture arrived
Dick Brouwer
& Tina de Bat
Second marriage in the Brouwer family. Dick (and Henk) worked in construction and soon had their own companies.
Bill & Jenny Immigration
Bill and Jenny came to Canada, with Ineke, by plane. They missed Dick and Tina’s wedding by one day.
Trudy goes to work for Andersons
Trudy lived in with the Andersons on the third floor at Ontario and Welland in St. Catharines
Bill & Jenny move to the Vaughn family farm
on Highway 8
Brouwer farm purchased
Purchased from Walter Stanley & Winnifred Hazel Harris for $27,000 (including implements)
Tonny Brouwer
Tonny is the first child of Dick and Tina. Pictured here on Oma’s lap with Ineke and Marietta behind.
Dick & Tina’s children:
Tonny, Albert, Wilma, Joanne, Joyce, Harry, Richard, Ron, Patricia, Tracey
Henk Brouwer
& Hennie Vleeming
Henk returned to Holland in December and came back with Hennie in February, moving into the north side of the Brouwer house. They had met in Holland, just before emigration.
Ria Brouwer
Ria is the first child of Henk & Henny. Pictured here in 1959
Henk & Hennie’s children:
Ria, Albert, Henry, Anita
Cor De Jong
& Trudy Brouwer
Cor and Trudy moved into the very small Brouwer house annex
Bill Brouwer
& Rinie Eckhardt
Bill worked for Peterson’s Upholstery for many years before starting Brouwer’s Upholstery on Hwy. 8.
Wilhelmina (Wendy)
Adrienne De Jong
Wendy is the first child of Cor & Trudy
Cor & Trudy’s children:
Wendy, Yolanda, Betty, Judith, Jacqueline
Opa Brouwer’s operation
Opa never fully recovered, and aged considerably afterwards
Allan Brouwer
Allan is the first child of Bill & Rinie
Bill & Rinie’s children:
Allan, Evelyn, John
Sand Bay Camp
Summers were spent at Sand Bay Camp near Espanola
Brouwer picnics
First summer picnics begin at Effingham Park and Long Beach
English language adopted
By the mid 1960s worship services slowly move from all Dutch to all English. Opa & Oma spoke only Dutch all their lives.
Growing pains
Cor & Trudy move off the farm for four years. Bruinekools move to their 21st Street home
Arend Otten
& Betty Brouwer
Betty leaves home to the Otten farm
Henk & Henny family leaves the farm
Their family moved to a new house on Victoria Avenue and Cor & Trudy’s family took their place in the north side of the Brouwer house. Picture from Christmas of 1964
Opa & Oma’s 45th wedding anniversary
Only the grandchildren named after them were included in this picture
Marcel Otten
Marcel is the first child of Arend & Betty
Arend & Betty’s children:
Marcel, Alfred, Edward, Wayne, Jason, Amanda
Gary Pennings
& Ineke Brouwer
Aunt Ineke leaves home for the Pennings farm in St. Thomas
Cor & Trudy family leaves the farm
The De Jong family leaves the Brouwer farm once more to make room for Gerald and Leida. They move up the lane to a new house built by Brouwers.
Gerald Brouwer
& Leida Pennings
Gerald continued working the Brouwer farm and moved into the north side of the Brouwer house
Brouwer barn burns down
Brad Pennings
Brad is the first child of Gary & Ineke. Timothy is the 47th and last grandchild, born (1984) shortly before Oma died.
Gary & Ineke’s children:
Brad, Albert, Kenneth, Monica, Jarret, Aileen, Timothy
Albert Brouwer
Albert is the adopted son of Gerald & Leida. There were now 4 Albert Brouwers in the family
Gerald & Leida’s children:
Albert, Alroy, Ivan, William, Ingrid
Limberlost Point Cottages
Land and cottages purchased by some Brouwer families
William Nieuwenhuizen
First great-grandchild, beginning of the 3rd generation
Opa & Oma’s 50th anniversary
Family has grown to 61 people. Pictured here with the De Jongs.
Opa’s death
Opa died peacefully in his sleep at 90 years of age
Bruinekool & De Jong families move
Both families moved to farms owned by Arend Otten and moved during the ’77 blizzard
Oma’s 80th birthday
The family had grown to 76 people by this celebration.
Oma’s death
Oma was living with Aunt Jenny & Uncle Bill at the end of her life. There were 32 great-grandchildren.
Brouwer Construction
Company begun by Dick Brouwer, incorporated as Brouwer Construction 1981. Dick and Al ran this for years with Bill Bruinekool for sometime as well. Ron became a partner with Al in 2001 after Dick retired. Ron started Brouwer Building Systems in 2018. Al retired Dec 2022 and company now owned by Derek & Jason. Jason also owns Brouwer Architecture.
Bill Brouwer
Uncle Bill died after a long battle with melanoma
Tracey Brouwer
Tracy died of bone cancer at 13 1/2 years of age
Rinie Brouwer
& Dick Attema
Second marriages for both
Henk Brouwer
Uncle Henk died of a heart attack
Gerald Brouwer
Uncle Gerald died of a heart attack
Victoria Nieuwenhuizen
First great-great grandchild — beginning of the 4th generation
Bill Bruinekool
Uncle Bill died of cancer after being sick for many years.
Brouwer farm sold
Farm sold to Richard Wismer. William continued working for many years on the farm.
The Brouwer Family History
Book written by Cor De Jong and Wendy de Jong is published. The family numbers over 240 at this time. This book has much more information than can be presented here,
Trudy De Jong
Aunt Trudy died of cancer
Jenny Bruinekool
Aunt Jenny’s heart gave out during the night.
Dick Brouwer
Uncle Dick died of congestive heart failure.
Henk Bruinekool
Henk died of cancer
Joanne (Bruinekool) Maecker
Joanne died of cancer 6 weeks after Henk’s death
60th anniversary of immigration
The family now numbers over 500
Anita Brouwer
Anita fought a courageous battle against multiple myeloma for seven years.
70th anniversary of immigration
The family now numbers over 600
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