Emy Venz Van Diest

Emy Venz van Diest, aged 78, died peacefully on July 28, 2017 at The Riverview Health Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, after a brief yet courageous struggle with cancer. Emy was born September 30, 1938, in Buitenzorg, The Netherlands East Indies, the daughter of Maurits and Sarwi de Rozario.

Emy thoroughly enjoyed many activities including gardening, knitting and crocheting, fishing, dancing and listening to music, cooking and baking, and arts and crafts. Family and friends were Emy’s passion and delight. She loved cooking delicious Indonesian meals and sweet treats (rarely would you leave the van Diest residence hungry!), and always had her door open with her welcoming smile. Her good sense of humour and quick wit made her a joy to be around. Where ever Emy was, there was always laughter.

In 1965, Emy married the love of her life Johan van Diest in The Netherlands, and together soon after, they started their new life in Canada. They moved to Winnipeg, where they lived for a short time, and then moved to Ear Falls, Ontario, where they raised their family and resided for 48 years. Johan worked for several years at the Griffith Mine as a heavy-duty mechanic, and Emy raised her 2 daughters, Barbara and Annette. As the girls grew older into their tweens, Emy worked at the Ear Falls Public School as a lunch teacher. Emy’s pride and joy was her granddaughter, Emaya, and adored the time they spent together and showered her with love and affection.

Emy was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in February 1973. As an active member of the Red Lake Congregation for many years, Emy enjoyed attending and participating in meetings and sharing her Bible-based faith with others through the door-to-door ministry. She continued her faith at the Gateway Kingdom Hall, when she and Johan moved to Winnipeg in July 2015. Here, she made many friends of whom will greatly miss her, and will look forward to seeing her again after she is resurrected in Paradise.

Emy is survived by her loving husband, Johan, daughters Barbara and Annette, son-in-law Michael, granddaughter Emaya, and sisters and brother and relatives in The Netherlands. Emy will be greatly missed by many friends that she made over the years. We will always remember her smile and her loving and happy spirit.

Arrangements under the direction of Klassen Funeral Home, Winnipeg, MB.