Obituary of Rita Esselink

Rita Esselink was taken home to be with her Lord and Saviour on Wednesday, January 14, 2015 after a short stay in Rotary Manor in Dawson Creek, BC at the age of 92 years. Rita was born in Drachten, Holland on July 30, 1922. Rita's mother passed away in January of 1928 and the family immigrated to Canada in March of 1928. It was a very difficult time for a 5 year old and something that in the last few years showed up as a very painful memory. They settled in the Lacombe area in Central Alberta. In 1941 Mom married our Dad, Henry Esselink. In 1945, 1947 and in 1954, three little rug rats entered the home and kept Mom busy making sure we were clean, fed and ready for whatever was to come along. In 1955 our family moved to Blueberry Mountain and we lived and farmed there for 41 years. The senior years arrived and when Mom was 74 we relocated to Dawson Creek. Mom's struggles began in earnest when Dad passed away. That loss was very difficult and increased the memory loss that plagued her until almost the end. The most amazingly wonderful change happened after Christmas. The Lord granted her memory and the ability to express her thoughts. When she was in the Manor, on Sunday she was clearly preparing for leaving this life. She said she would not be here long. On Tuesday she asked the one question that was often repeated throughout the past five years"Where's Dad?" I told her and about 10-15 minutes later she said, "Dad has been alone long enough. We need to go and be with him." The next day the Lord took her Home to Glory. Our mother, grandmother and great grandmother is predeceased by her parents, all of her siblings and her husband. She is survived by her son Hiram (Ruth), daughter Catherine, and son Albert (Ericka). God has blessed her with four grandchildren; Roland (Elizabeth), Nathan (Deborah), Jonathan and Anna Pearl and nine great grandchildren; William, Victoria, Grace, Cathrine, and Alexander (Roland & Elizabeth's children), Jeremy, Julian and Jaden (Nathan & Deborah's children) and Caleb (Jonathan's son). A funeral service was held on Saturday, January 24, 2015 at 1:00 pm from Reynars Funeral Home. Pastor Jason Koutstaal officiated. For friends so wishing donations may be made in memory of Rita to The Gideons PO Box 3619, Guelph, Ontario N1H 9Z9. Very Respectfully Reynars Funeral Home and Crematorium