Hendrieke Anna Steller

Born on August 6, 1941, on the island of Java, Indonesia, Hendrieke’s earliest years were shaped by movement and resilience. In 1946, her family immigrated to Holland, and less than a decade later, in 1955, they emigrated to Canada, where she would build her future and her sense of home. These early journeys instilled in her a lifelong openness to the world — its cultures, its landscapes, and its possibilities.

Hendrieke began her working life as a nursing assistant, caring for others with patience and steadiness. She later found her true calling in education, spending the majority of her career teaching at Buchanan Public School. In the classroom, she was known for her kindness, her attentiveness, and her ability to make children feel seen. Teaching was not simply a profession for her; it was an extension of her instinct to nurture.

Creativity threaded through every part of her life. She loved the arts, cherished devotional music, and found joy in expressing herself through colour, craft, and song. Travel was another of her great pleasures — not for spectacle, but for the quiet enrichment of experiencing new places and cultures.

In her neighbourhood, Hendrieke was affectionately known as “The Dog Lady.” She walked many of the local dogs, cared for them as if they were her own, and over the years welcomed six beloved dogs into her home. Her bond with animals was unmistakable, and her gentle presence became a familiar comfort on the streets she walked daily.

Her faith was the centre of her life. A devout Christian, Hendrieke lived with a clear and unwavering priority: her relationship with God and Christ guided her choices, shaped her values, and grounded her through every season of her life. Her devotion expressed itself not only in worship, but in action — through charitable giving, acts of service, and a generous spirit that touched many.

Hendrieke will be remembered for her warmth, her humility, her love of animals and the arts, and the faith that anchored her life. She leaves behind a legacy of kindness, devotion, and quiet beauty — the kind that lingers in memory and in the lives of those she touched.

Visiting will be held at the Kane-Jerrett North York Funeral Home (6191 Yonge St. south of Steeles Ave.) on Monday August 31, 2026 from 10 am until time of the funeral service which be held in the chapel at 11:00 am. Interment to follow at York Cemetery.

If desired, in memoriam donations may be made to Children Believe.