JEANNETTE ANTONIA DUNNING (deBruin)

April 27, 1924 – August 9, 2021

 

Jeannette (Nettie) Antonia Dunning was born April 27, 1924 in Utrecht, the Netherlands to Johanna Smoorenburg deBruin and Johannes deBruin. As the oldest child, she spent her childhood assisting her mother and frequently playing “school and house” with her siblings – Chris, Corie, Annie, Coby, Tony and Ria.  She shared challenging experiences of her early adulthood in a Nazi occupied country. Family closeness, spiritual faith and simple pleasures supported her during that difficult time. 

It was during the Canadian led liberation of the Netherlands that she met Colin Dunning, a soldier who was distributing war rations to Dutch citizens. She became his “war bride” and immigrated to Canada following the war. 

She adjusted from city life in Utrecht to the new challenges and adversities of farm life in rural Manitoba – learning many new skills including cooking on a wood stove,  tending a huge garden and parenting a whole gaggle of mischievous offspring. Her life became dedicated to her growing family as the mother of 8 children.  She was well known as an excellent cook and baker, winning many awards for bread making at the local fair. Most days her children would arrive home from school to fresh baked buns or cookies. Our cellar was lined with shelves of canned vegetables and fruit for the winter. Her skills of sewing, knitting, crocheting and needlepoint were invaluable for a large family with limited resources.  Her hands were never idle as she made countless socks, mitts and sweaters for her own family and later for the homeless.  Later she busied herself with many artistic endeavours creating hand made table cloths and pictures. Every child, grandchild and great grandchild has had some hand made item made by Grandma/Oma.

Nettie was fluent in Dutch, English, French and familiar with German. Her ability to calculate numbers in her head was remarkable. She remained cognitively active until passing.  She was a living resource for significant dates, an active (and often correct) Jeopardy spectator, an engaged follower of current events and a challenging opponent in the games of whist and rummikub. 

Following the death of Colin, Nettie moved to Alberta in 1982 to be closer to many of her transplanted children.  She has always volunteered in the community at the Clothing Bank and Catholic Women’s League funeral luncheons.  She made many new friends and maintained contact with the friends she left behind in Manitoba.  Her commitment and closeness to her family in the Netherlands meant many letters and phone calls were exchanged. She always enjoyed visiting and playing games with family and friends. She was proud that she had beaten cancer three times and had lived a long and independent life. So often she would beam when people voiced disbelief when she shared her age. Our family was truly blessed to have her with us for so many years!

 

Nettie was the mother of 8 children /  17 grandchildren / 29 great grandchildren:

 

Charlie (deceased 2018) /  Lisa (Richard) / Hudson (Ashley)  Brenna

                                           Chris (Melissa) /  Mason  Caelin

 

Phillip (Donna) Fallis, AB / Corie (Ricky) /  Darby

                                               Cathy (Andrew) / Jordan Ryan Jake

 

Gordon (Louise) St. Paul, AB / Michelle (Shane) / Izzy (Isabel)

                                                     Gerald (Jenn) /  Katlyn   Ava  Lexi (Alexander)

 

Julianna (John) Edmonton /  Jeffrey (April) /  Fantasia  Kelvin

                                             Adrian /  Adrian Alec Jada

Maria, Edmonton

 

Joanne Winnipeg / Jason (Amanda) /  Alianna  Callan

                                         Jennifer (Craig) /  Carter

 

Susan (Glen) Red Deer /  Colin (Elsa) /  Makenna  Brenner

                                          Jillian (Randy)

                                          Gerard (Darcie) / Dahlia

 

Mark (Rhonda) Sylvan Lake / Curtis

                                                Vanessa (Scott) / Zayne Haidynn Addy

                                                Cassandra (James) / Wyatt  Waylon

                                                Christine  / Henley

 

 

Along with the Holy Father in heaven, Nettie is now safe in the arms of her husband Colin, son-in-law Henry, son-in-law Subhas, son Charlie, brother Chris, sister Coby, brother Tony and brother-in-law Jaap.  May their reunion celebration be filled with laughter!

• Date : 2021-08-09
• Location : Red Deer Funeral Home