Although I’m not able to attend nor share feelings and memories in person, I wanted to at least express my love to the Van Akens. 

Maria was a kind, trusted, funny and loyal friend to all who knew her, and will be both missed and remembered. Our collective time and experience as Cadets (and beyond) would not have been the same without this woman, and we were all better for having known her. 

That giggley laugh, wit and inherent kindness of hers will live on forever in our memories. ❤️

Lucy was always close to Maria when she came home from the hospital1

This picture was taken during a family trip to a cottage a few summers ago.  Look at that smile.  Maria was an easy going quick whitted young woman who played a mean game of scrabble.  She will be missed.

Hello Ditte,  it's  Erin (Muir) and Kathy (Gordon) . Oh gosh, we saw that your daughter Maria had passed. We cannot begin to fathom the emotions you are all feeling.  Wish we had just the perfect words to say to help you heal. Please know we send our warmest hugs to you and your family.    Surround yourselves with family and friends and hopefully,  find some solace in all the shared memories.  We are holding you all close in our hearts. 💕 Fondly, Erin and Kathy

Maria, you were my friend through all of it. You were one person that knew all of me and still loved me. My heart breaks inside because I know I will never find someone as loyal as you. Things I’ll miss the most …. Hanging out at your mom’s house in the pool. Going to food and wine events together. Chatting on the phone sometimes for hours. Your hugs. Your laugh. 
I wish you could’ve met Theodore - I know how great of an aunt you are and my baby is truly missing out by not getting to have you in his life. 

I’ll never forget you Maria and I will always miss you. 
With love, Stephy

My dearest Maria, you were my best friend through elementary and middle school. We were basically sisters. I have so many cherished memories with you over the years. You were always the friendly light in the room. You loved everyone for who they were and I loved that about you. I miss you so much.

To the wonderful VanAken family my heart and love are with you with the loss of your beautiful daughter
 I have so many fond memories of my times spent in my teens at cadets and outside of cadets with Maria and this photo was sent to me from Maria's mum and its a wondeful memory of a lovely fun day with the always happy maria at canadas wonderland

Ditte and Family
 Our deepest condolences to all of you .
  May Maria rest in peace, safe in the arms of Jesus.
Nancy and Michael Scanlon & Family

With our deepest sympathies, you are all in our thoughts and prayers.

Harold and Jean Dell and Niel and Janis Beck and family xoxo

Ditte and family,
  Our prayers are with you all during this difficult time.  We have many fond memories of Maria growing up in our neighborhood.  We are all very sorry to hear of Marias  passing, and send our love and caring thoughts to you all. 
 Love Tom, Judy, Christopher and Courtney and family xo

I lived with my parents, Bob and Gloria, next door to Ralph and Jean VanAken, Maria’s paternal grandparents, from October 29th, 1976 to June 27th, 1985. During that time we became very good friends of the family; and, even after we moved to Grimsby, for many years we continued to visit back and forth. Maria was just over a year-old when we left the city; and, since she was living with her parents, we saw very little of her. In the following years, however, we naturally would see her at weddings and anniversary parties, when she was a little girl. We know that she was very special to her parents and all four grandparents. When Ralph, Frank’s father, passed away in November, 2014, I went to the funeral, and that was the only time that I spoke to Maria as an adult. She was very friendly and we had quite a long chat. I was not surprised that she had turned out to be a very pleasant and polite young lady (with a lovely smile, I might add), because her parents did a great job of raising  her, and she was brought up in what I would consider to be — by my standards — a fairly big family, where there was A LOT of love. I know that Maria touched a lot of people and was loved by many. She was taken away from her family at FAR too young an age. My heart bleeds for Ditte, above all, for she lost Frank, her husband and best friend, when he was only in his early sixties. Now she must cope with the loss of her firstborn. Losing a child is a parent’s worst nightmare. I do not doubt for a moment that Maria has now been reunited with her Dad and both “Omas” and “Opas”; however, that hardly helps those whom she has left behind. There is now a hole in everyone’s heart — and it will never be filled. May Maria rest among the angels. I pray that God will give her immediate family the strength that they will need to go on.

Most sincerely,

The Clothier Family

I have many fun memories of time spent with Maria, from infancy to high-school. Though time and distance made us grow apart over the years, she was a wonderful  friend that I will always remember fondly.  My thoughts are with you Ditte, Mike, and family.

My condolences to the family, Maria was an amazing friend , I will always remember her smile and her kindness!!

While I am not able to attend the service in person, I want to offer my sincerest condolences to Maria’s family and anyone who knew her. 

I will always remember the way your laughter could cause everyone in the room to light up as well as the many get togethers we all had with you when we were younger. 

Rest in peace, Maria

Dear Ditte and family,
So very sorry for your loss. Just heartbreaking.  
We are  thankful you all had such a lovely family Christmas. You will cherish those  memories .  We love the video of her playing pictionary.  In time , it will bring a smile to your faces , just thinking of how much fun you all had. 
Rest in peace Maria. 
Love
JoAnn + Mark

OBITUARY

Maria Jannigje VanAken

March 1, 1984 – January 10, 2024

Cresmount Funeral Home - Fennell Chapel

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