Leentje Pieternella LES

April 9, 1930-January 15, 2024

Our family is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dearly beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother, Leentje Pieternella (Leny) Les (nee Hartman). She passed away peacefully, with her family at her side, on January 15, 2024 at 93 years of age, at her home at Sunset Manor in Chilliwack.

Our Mom, along with our Dad Chris, came to Canada from the Netherlands as newlyweds in 1951. They went on to raise a family of twelve children while building the family dairy farm business. Mom and Dad’s love, loyalty and devotion to one another was unsurpassed. Sadly, Dad passed away in 2000, leaving Mom to grieve his passing for more than 23 years.

Mom was also predeceased by our sister Leeann (May) Ratelle in 2022. Her two brothers, Willem and Jan Hartman also predeceased her.

Left to mourn Mom’s passing are: John (Mattie), Don Ratelle, Corney (Janet), Jane (John) Sterkenburg, Martin (Marcy), Chris (Denise), Rita Kloot, Tanny (Les) Lindhout, Frank (Debbie), Larry (Sherrie), Ed (Sherri), and Marlene Roseboom.

Mom is also survived by five sisters in the Netherlands: Rina Knops, Janny Van Der Sluijs, Ina Kievit, Henny Jordaan, and Riet Grisnigt.

Further, Mom leaves behind a legacy of 48 grandchildren, 89 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

Particularly meaningful to Mom was the Scripture we find in Luke 5:32 “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Mom assiduously kept a vast inventory of family birthdates, and she would be sure to send birthday greetings to all of her many descendants and their spouses, by email from her iPad, almost to the very end. To say she will be missed is a complete understatement.

We particularly would like to thank the staff at Sunset Manor for their loving care of our mother.

Henderson’s Funeral Home is in care of funeral arrangements.

The funeral service will be held at the Bethel Netherlands Reformed Church at 8920 Broadway St., Chilliwack, at 9:30 am, on Saturday, January 20, 2024, with interment to follow at Chilliwack Cemeteries, where Mom will be laid to rest next to our Dad.

Immediately following the interment, there will be an opportunity for those wishing to extend their personal condolences to the family to do so in the church front foyer. A light lunch will subsequently be served for the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mom’s memory may be made to Sunset Manor.