Cornelia Mary Vanderspek

On June 2nd, 2026, our beloved Mom and Oma, Cornelia (Corry) Vanderspek was called home to be with her Lord and Saviour.

Corry was born on April 14, 1932 in Rijswijk, Netherlands. She was the first born to Simon and Gertrude Vankampen, followed by her brother Clarence and sister Irda. In 1951, on Corry’s 19th birthday, they immigrated to Canada and settled in the Fraser Valley. It was hard for Corry to leave behind her loving boyfriend, William (Bill) Vanderspek.

After 2 years of writing back and forth, William joined her in Canada and 2 years later they were married. Corry’s greatest joy in life was being married to Bill and raising her family, Bill Jr, Diane, Simone and Patty. She was proud of the beautiful home and farm that she and Bill created together. It was a wonderful place to raise their family. When Corry was only 53, her loving husband suddenly passed away. This broke her heart. He truly was the love of her life. She leaned on God and her children for the strength to carry on.

Corry was very active until the last few years of her life. Although she enjoyed a good episode of The Waltons, Little House on the Prairie and Wheel of Fortune, it was rare to see Corry relaxing on the couch. You would more likely find her outdoors, caring for her sheep, tending her garden, digging ditches, feeding the birds, sweeping the deck, raking the lawn, or gathering branches for a bonfire. Sometimes, she would foster a newborn lamb inside the house! Corry was a very talented seamstress, who enjoyed sewing clothes for herself and her children. Corry received many compliments on her beautifully tailored outfits and signature hairstyle. Many happy days were spent exploring different places in BC, her favorites being Vancouver Island, the Okanagan and Shuswap Lake.

Corry had a great faith which she shared with her children and grandchildren. She was an active member of Gateway Community Church for 75 years. We thank Pastor Adam for visiting Corry and encouraging her in her faith.

Corry lived independently until 2024, when she moved to the Oxford Senior Care Home. We thank the nurses and care aids for their kind, compassionate and loving care. Corry was always so appreciative of any help that she received, never forgetting to say “thank you” to whoever was assisting her. The staff often commented on how blessed Corry was to have so many visitors.

Corry loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She will be deeply missed by her son Bill (Elaine), daughter Diane (Bill Olthuis), daughter Simone (Alvin Scholing), daughter Patty (Jason Wielenga), 14 grandchildren and their spouses, 24 great grandchildren, her brother Clarence, sister Irda, as well as her nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends in Canada, the US and the Netherlands.

On Friday, June 12, A Celebration of Life will be held at Gateway Community Church, 2884 Gladys Avenue, Abbotsford, at 1:00 PM. All are welcome to attend the service.