Dina Engels

Dina Marie Engels was born on June 14, 1925. Her parents were Achilles and Rachel Mores. Dina had one younger sister, Nadia. They lived in a small town in Northern France, Halluin, where you could walk across the bridge, to Belgium. Dina was fluent in French and Flemish because the townspeople flowed between France and Belgium to do their daily business.

At 19 years of age, Dina married Hilaire Marcel Vanwymelbeke as World War II was coming to an end. Dina and Hilaire had one daughter, Chantal Nadia Vanwymelbeke, born October 19, 1944. Hilaire was a member of the French Resistance, the underground group fighting against Nazi Germany. Shortly after Dina and Hilaire married, while Dina was pregnant with Chantal, the Nazis captured Hilaire. He was taken to a concentration camp on the last prisoner train to depart Touquin. The Nazis killed prisoners as they retreated from France and Hilaire died in the concentration camp. Dina became a young widow and a mother at the same time. Hilaire, an only child, was also survived by his mother, Marie Demey. Dina and Chantal lived with Dina’s parents and had other close family members to

support them.

On June 4, 1948, Dina married Maurice Engels. Maurice was born in the United States, but his parents returned to France after his birth. Maurice and Dina lived in France for the first few years of their marriage. Their daughter, Mauricette Rachel Engels, was born on September 20, 1949.

In 1953, Maurice, Dina, and their daughters boarded the S.S. Veendan (this ship’s last voyage) and moved to the United States. They settled in Detroit, Michigan, eventually buying a house on Wayburn Street. Maurice was employed by the City of Grosse Pointe, while Dina worked for several families as a housekeeper.

After their daughters were grown, Maurice and Dina moved to St. Clair Shores. Maurice passed on November 28, 2003, and Dina became a widow for the second time. Dina remained on her own in their St. Clair Shores home until around 2007, when she moved to Northern Michigan to live with her granddaughter, Dana Michele Constand, and her family. Dana and her husband, John, had two young daughters, Scarlett Chantal and Isabel Carolina. Dina enjoyed being around her great granddaughters.

In 2009, the family moved to Grosse Pointe, Michigan. This last stage of Dina’s life was spent enjoying many activities. Mémé, as she is called by the great grandchildren, attended Scarlett and Isabel’s countless school programs, dance recitals, and choir performances. Dina attended church weekly at St. Ambrose, thanks to Elizabeth Puleo-Tague’s kindness and generosity. Elizabeth picked Mémé up every week to accompany Elizabeth’s family to Mass on Saturdays. Sundays were always reserved for gathering with friends, among them Lauraine Deydene, for a meal and games. Each summer, Dina travelled to Ludington, Michigan to spend time with her daughter Mauricette, grandchildren and great grandchildren; Dina continued on with these activities until the very last few months of her life.

Dina died on May 14, 2020, peacefully, at home, in her own room. She left this world exactly as she had hoped: having received the Sacrament of the Sick and then having been surrounded by family and compassionate caregivers until her last breath. Dina will be remembered in particular, for her love of laughter, playing games, frites made in her frite pot (brought all the way from France in 1953!), special waffle cookies, and knitting anything and everything that could possibly be knit. Dina is survived by many loving family members: Sister, Nadia Lesage; Daughter, Chantal Vanwymelbeke; Granddaughter Dana Constand, John Constand, and Great Granddaughters Scarlett and Isabel Constand; Mauricette Cassise (né Engels) and husband Joseph; Grandson Christopher Cassise and wife Dänna and Great Grandson, Marco Cassise; Grandson David Cassise and Great Grandchildren, Caden, Camryn and Cole Cassise.