Passed away peacefully at Trillium Health Partners, Mississauga Site, on Thursday, October 1, 2015, after a brain hematoma. Pieter DeVaal, in his 88th year, of Orangeville leaves behind his wife Margie De Vaal of 62 years; his daughter, Chris de Vaal and her husband Ian Bradley and their three children, Alison, Bill and Cassie; Jake DeVaal and his wife Sheila and their four children, Stephen, Nicholas, James and Catherine; and his youngest daughter, Jessica DeVaal; his nephew Peter Warden and his wife Marie-Claire and their daughter Anne-Marie; and his nephew George Warden and his wife Gloria and their two sons Erin and Christopher.
Pieter was born and raised in Amersfoort in the Netherlands. Throughout his lifetime, he had various careers as he always loved a challenge. From 1946 to 1951, he was employed as a wireless operator in the Netherlands Navy and was able to sail the world. After his stint in the Navy, he worked for the Dutch government registering trees. In 1952, seeking a much more exciting and fulfilling future, he emigrated to Canada to join his sister Dee who had married Gordon Warden, a Canadian soldier. The love of his life, Margie joined him shortly thereafter and they were wed in Niagara Falls.
He got a job at Great Lakes Power in Sault Ste. Marie where he apprenticed and became a Journeyman electrician. In 1962 he went back to school at the University of Toronto to obtain his teaching certificate. This enabled him in 1963 to get a job teaching electrical shop at Orangeville District Secondary School where he worked until he retired in 1986. After retiring, he worked on what he loved, renovating houses and doing electrical wiring jobs.
During his lifetime, Pieter was a passionate builder, single-handedly building three houses and helping others renovate or build their houses. He also loved to read, listen to music, swim and garden with his wife Margie.
The family will receive their friends at Egan Funeral Home Baxter & Giles Chapel, 273 Broadway, Orangeville (519-941-2630) on Tuesday evening from 7 to 9 o’clock. Funeral service will be held in the chapel on Wednesday, October 7 at one o’clock. Following a reception at the funeral home interment will take place at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Orangeville. If desired, memorial donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, 202 – 2227 South Millway, Mississauga L5L 3R6 (www.cancer.ca) or St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation, 30 Bond Street, Toronto M5B 1W8 (www.stmichaelsfoundation.com). Condolences for the family may be offered at www.EganFuneralHome.com
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Peter Warden
My very deepest sympathies to my Aunt Margie. Words can’t always explain how a person feels, or soothe a pain we all feel during these times. Happy thoughts and memories of Uncle Pete, and all the great times we had with him will be the best way to cope.
He was a guy I always looked up to.
A big hug to my Aunt, Chris, Jake and Jess and family.
margo and joris gonggrijp- van mourik, Nederland
Dear Tante Geertje and all my cousins and their kids. Our deeply felt condolences, we share your grief. Oom Jelle was the youngest brother of my mother and beloved by all his brothers and sisters. They admired his courage to emigrate, they were happy for his sister Ditje that they were together in faraway Canada, but they missed him a lot. We do not always realize how really far away that was in those times before internet. It was amazing how well Jelle and Geertje managed to stay in contact with the Dutch lot of the family. Everyone visiting Canada was extremely welcome in their home and felt at home and how amazed we were that Jelle build those houses himself! I only visited once and our daughter Justine spent a holiday in Canada , then being 15 (?) years old. She had a lovely time as well. I remember oom Jelle as a very friendly and interested man, a familyman, proud of his children and grandchildren and very fond of tante Geertje.
Lieve tante Geertje, heel veel sterkte; het is vreselijk na al die jaren samen Jelle nu te moeten missen. Liefs uit Holland.
Norm & Lenore Porter
Pieter was a close friend over our teaching career in the Technical Dept. at O.D.S.S.
In addition to teaching Electricity he printed thousands of sheets of material for all the teachers in the department.
He was well liked by his students and he always took a sincere interest in their progress.
Our condolences go out to Margie and their family.
James and Diane Bradley
We have happy, sunny memories of visiting with Mr De Vaal 30 years ago in Vancouver and Whistler at the time of Jake’s wedding. We cherish these memories, for he was a man of outstanding courage, skilful industry, and great love of family. Everyone always spoke highly of Pieter De Vaal. Our most sincere condolences go out to all the family.
janine, gijs-jan and frederieke
lieve tante geertje, dear aunt margie, children, grandchildren and family,
please accept our sincere and warm condolencenses wit the loss of uncle Jelle.
a warm, lief, en sprankelende man, dierbaar voor mn liefste Bert, en zijn moeder.
Ook ik heb het geluk gehad oom Jelle te ontmoeten in Canada met Bert.
We wensen jullie allen veel sterkte, warmte en steun bij elkaar.
Janine, Gijs-Jan en Frederieke
Alex Bradley (Vancouver, BC)
I am glad I had the opportunity to see Mr. and Mrs. De Vaal in Orangeville last year and on some other occasions in Toronto. I remember Mr. De Vaal as a kind man with interesting stories about the Netherlands and coming to Canada. My heartfelt condolences to all.
Janice Hewson (Quick)
Margie, Chris, Jake & Jessica
Although I was quite young when your family lived in the Sault, I have many fond memories of the times our families spent together: Margie learning to speak English, the birth of the children, playing table hockey with Peter. What I remember most is that they were always happy. In later years, when they were returning home from Jake’s and passing through Thunder Bay, I enjoyed learning the story of Margie’s arrival in Canada, the whirlwind trip to be married in Niagara Falls and Pete bringing her to her new home in the Sault where our families became fast and lasting friends. And, they were still happy and exuberant!
May your memories bring you peace and comfort.
Jamie and Leanne Houghton
Our condolences to your family. I had a class with Mr. De Vaal while I attended ODSS and memories of him through my father, Ralph Houghton, who also taught at ODSS.
Jake and Sheila DeVaal
Before posting a condolence for my Mom, I’d like to thank Peter and Deborah and the staff at Egan, and Rev. Harvey for the service, and my brother-in-law Ian for his excellent eulogy of my Dad’s life.
When I look at my children, I see the joy of building things that my Dad had in my eldest son, Stephen, where Nicholas shares his drive and appreciation for high standards in plumbing. My third son James has a bit of my Dad’s flair for presentation, where he always said ‘to be a good teacher you have to be a bit of a ham’, and my daughter Catherine shares his curiosity and interest in knowledge and teaching. He was an amazing guy, and a strong role model, where the main thing I’m remembering now, is his strong and lasting love for my Mom, where that’s the part that really stands out for me now.
Jake De Vaal
Alzheimersociety of Dufferin County
Though some time has passed
we just wanted you to know
there are still caring thoughts ,
coming your way.
With deepest Sympathy from the Alzheimer Society of Dufferin County