Our Dutch uncle Hans died yesterday in his home in Driebergen. He was 67.
I first met him in Holland in 2000, before Jeroen and I got married, when Jeroen’s mom passed away and he delivered a eulogy during Mass.
He was crazy, funny, lived life to the fullest, and loved to smoke and drink.
He made Jeroen’s mom laugh so much while she was in the hospital.
He first came to the Philippines in November 2000, for our wedding. After that we would come often and stay with us.
He would cook Jeroen’s favorite dish, hachee, whose smell drove me insane when I was pregnant.
Dutch hachee, pronounced “ha-shay”
He loved coming to the Philippines and hanging out with Jeroen until he contracted a mysterious disease on his leg, which they couldn’t figure out in the Netherlands.
He thought he got it in the Philippines and was afraid to come back. But I didn’t think so. I wanted to bring him back here and have him treated and taken care of at home, but he never made it back.
I cannot remember the last time I saw him. Maybe it was 2005. This was taken in Kimpura.
He was devoted to Our Lady. I gave him a beautiful statue of Our Lady, which he took home to Holland. On one of his trips he also brought back a Christmas parol to Holland.
Uncle Hans (L) in his home with Opa
I woke up this noon when Jeroen came home for lunch, and he told me that Uncle Hans had died in his bed at home.
He didn’t die from the skin disease, but basically poor health.
I truly wish he had died in his sleep and that Our Lady and Jeroen’s mom welcomed him to heaven.
It felt like Steve Jobs all over again, just a dark feeling of gloom and sadness. Jeroen and I went to the 6 PM mass today where I cried for Uncle Hans as I want to say I’m sorry for my shortcomings. I’m sorry I cannot hug you and hear you say “ik hou van jou.” But most of all, we miss and thank you for all the help and love you gave our family.
omg! i just found out. i love uncle hans so much! he is so funny .. used to sit away from him during family gatherings .. coz im sure he’ll tell stories and im gonna have my nose bleed again :p … kidding .. but seriously, he is very kind to me personally ,, he’ll be surely missed .. our condolences to the van straten family.~~ Maricel and Ronald
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Thank you everyone for your message
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My condolences for you, Jeroen and your family. I really liked uncle Hans.
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CVS Reply:
November 5th, 2011 at 7:48 AM
thanks Nicolette. Jeroen just arrived in Holland. Hope you see him
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thanks Nicolette. Jeroen just arrived in Holland. Hope you see him
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My condolences to you and your family. Your Uncle Hans has a kind face. God bless his soul
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condolence to you and your family…
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You know, they say when a person dies on a Saturday or on a feast of Our Lady or an important feast of the church, that person is with the saints in heaven. How (spiritually) reassuring to realize that your Uncle died between the Feast of All Saints or All Souls. On a side note, I had a yaya who had cancer and I prayed so much that if she’d die, it would be on a Saturday so she’d be with our Lady. Well, she died Dec 8 two years ago and I thanked our Lady so much for that.
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Sorry to hear about Uncle Hans. I met him once and he was indeed a funny guy. I even remember he came home with a big batch of waffles, and you gave me one of the boxes.
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CVS Reply:
November 3rd, 2011 at 11:19 PM
thanks Ria
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thanks Ria
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my deepest sympathies..
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My condolences Ms. C.
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Condolence po.
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🙁
My condolences to you, Jeroen and the rest of your family.
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My sympathies to you and your loved ones. I had a Dutch friend who also contracted an illness while working in the Philippines. Doctors could not figure out what it was both in Manila and in Holland. They just called it “tropical disease.” He died from it. I wonder if it’s the same illness. 🙁
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Sorry to hear about the passing of a loved one.
Condoleance voor u en uw gezin.
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Our heartfelt condolences to you and your family.
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so sorry to read about this , cecile 🙁 our condolences to you, jeroen and jan
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Sorry to hear about your Uncle Hans
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my condolences to your family, Ms. C.
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