Martha Anna Bysterveld

Great-grandmother. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on May 1, 2024 surrounded by her loving daughters. Martha has been reunited in heaven with her loving husband of 58 years, Ted (pre-deceased 2011-02-28). She was a loving and caring mother to her daughters Mary Bysterveld, Brenda Sovereign (Pre-deceased Wes) and Diana Scime (Tony). Cherished Oma to Laura (Shane), Karen (Peter) Jonathan (Amy), Benjamin (Tammy), Amy (Chester), Joshua (Sarah), Adam (Renata) and Danielle (Kwasi).

Our mother was a very proud Great-Grandma and had bragging rights to her 19 great-grandchildren…Kennedi, Reagan, Lucas, Dylan, Conor, Hannah, Heidi, Nathan, Lylah, Eliana, Justin, Conner, Kinslee, Kayden, Maverick, Marcus, Mia, Zyson & Zayla.

Our mother was born in the Netherlands to Maria and Pieter VanHoof, the 11th child of 12. She immigrated to Canada in 1951 to marry the love of her life, Theodore (Ted). She was a true “Domestic Engineer” in the home, always busy doing something whether it be cooking, canning, sewing, crocheting, knitting, tending to her indoor plants and upholstery were just a few of her many talents. She taught sewing for many years at the YWCA. In their early retirement years, our parents lived their best life at St. Elizabeth’s Village, both of them always busy.

Oma was the Julie McCoy of cruise directors leading many bus trips at the YWCA and traveling with our dad on many trips from Sault Ste. Marie to the Canary Islands and dancing…square dancing, line dancing, ballroom dancing. In her later years Oma enjoyed her time at Wentworth Heights. Her hands were always busy doing something for a cause, playing the horses, playing word games with her girlfriends or enjoying a baking class. Even during her passing those hands kept moving. In her room we played music…Andre Riu and Heintje…what we could remember from our childhood… those hands were conducting and those shoulders were twitching to the beat of the music. She will be sadly missed by her family, nieces, nephews, extended family and close friends.

A heartfelt thank-you to the staff of the Bob Kemp Hospice for their above and beyond care for our mother in her final days. The family wishes that, in lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to Bob Kemp Hospice.