Bouwiena Nicolai

NICOLAI, Bouwiena - passed away at her residence on June 16, 2014 at the age of 85 years. Bouwiena Nicolai (nee Renkema) of Westmeath, beloved wife of the late Andries Nicolai. Loving mother of Klasiena Nicolai, Ruel (Sharon) Nicolai, Willem (Kathleen) Nicolai, and Wilma (Lornie) Yakabuskie. Loving grandmother of Scott (Debra) Nicolai, Thea (Kenny Peplinskie) Nicolai, Debra (Trevor) Mann, Jessica (Brad) Ferris, Candice (Dustin) Woods, Rebecca (Dylan) Nicolai, Braydon Nicolai and Tyson Yakabuskie. Loving great-grandmother of Andrew and Daniel Nicolai; Brayden, Zachary and Lily Mann; Kaleb and Olivia Peplinskie; and Benjamin Ferris. Dear sister to Jantje Renkema, the late Petrus Renkema, the late Klaska (Sjibren) Struiskma, Martje Renkema, & Ida (Gerben) Nyboer. Special thanks to Dr. Christinck, the nurses and PSW's who took care of Bouwiena. Bouwiena was born May 29, 1929 in Aduard, Netherlands. She was the eldest daughter. She moved to Enumktel where she went to grade school. She was 10 years old when she moved to Buitenpost farm where she became friends with the Nicolais, who lived across the road. Andries Nicolai picked up the milk from the Renkema farm. In 1948 the Nicolai family moved to Canada. Andries and Bouwiena wrote letters to each other in secret with the help of Bouwiena's aunt and uncle Jan and Antje Renkema who lived in Holwerd, Netherlands. In 1949 Andries went back to the Netherlands. He stayed with his sister and worked enough to get passports, immunizations and married Bouwiena before returning to Canada. They were married Sept 22, 1950. They then travelled in February 12, 1951 to Canada on the Volendam. The boat docked in Halifax where they took the train to Renfrew. Roy McGregor, the farmer Andries worked for picked them up at the Renfrew train station and brought them to Douglas. They lived and worked on the McGregors farm. Bouwiena babysat a boy and girl for the McNab family as well as cleaned.  On April 15, 1952 Klaseina was born. Six months later they moved to the 8th Line farm where they rented before purchasing the farm. Both Ron and Bill were born in the 8th Line farmhouse. Ron was born June 27, 1953 and Bill was born July 18, 1954. They milked cows on the farm and harvested lumber in the winter months. In 1965 they sold the 8th Line farm and moved to the Nicolai Road milk farm, where they started milking 11 purebred Holstein Frisian cows. Wilma was born on June 4, 1970 at the Pembroke General Hospital. The brick house on Gore Line was built in 1976. After Andries passed away on February 24, 1997 Bouwiena continued to live in the Gore Line house up until her health declined in the winter of 2013. She moved into Wilma's house on Canola Road, where she spent her last days surrounded by family. Bouwiena enjoyed spending time with children. Over the years she cared for many children in addition to those in the family. She was grandma to many. She made many wool socks, mittens and afghans. She loved to wash dishes by hand after baking chocolate chip cookies or making strawberry rhubarb jam. Her apple sauce was enjoyed by all.  She loved to tend to her house plants and feed the hummingbirds in the kitchen window. She loved animals, but always said that they were to live in the barn not the house. Having never driven, she set up her weekly church 'taxi' drivers ahead of time. Among them were family and friends who were always welcome to join her for homemade soup and saltines afterwords. She was dependable, always home and available to have tea and cookies except for Wednesdays, which were her days out on the town with Wilma. Visitation at the Malcolm Deavitt & Binhammer Funeral Home, 141 Renfrew Street, Pembroke on Friday from 2 to 4:00 and 7 to 9:00 p.m. Funeral Service will be held in Zion Christian Reformed Church, Pembroke on Saturday, June 21, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. Interment in Westmeath Union Cemetery. (As an expression of sympathy, donations to the Lung Association or Zion Christian Reformed Church would be appreciated.) Online condolences and donations are available at www.mdbfuneralhome.com.