Connie Jacoba (Hazenberg) Kryger

Jacoba (Connie) Hazenberg was born in Middenmeer, The Netherlands, to Libbe and Wietske. She was the third daughter and a sister to an older and a younger brother. She married Mark Krijger in 1957,and within the next nine years they welcomed three daughters, Ena, Wilma, and Annemarie. Facing limited long-term opportunities in Holland, the family immigrated to Canada in 1966, where both Connie and Mark had siblings who had gone before them to introduce them to Canada as a place to call home.

In Canada, they completed their family with two more daughters, Joanne and Lisa. Connie and Mark loved raising their five girls and showed them that anything a son could do, a daughter could do just as well—so all of them took part in construction, mining, car repair work, homemaking, and even skinning rabbits.

Connie and Mark were a team in everything they did. Through both the good and challenging times, they demonstrated to their kids and grandkids the importance of commitment to one another and follow-through in work and life. When they decided to build apartments, Connie was in charge of cleaning, maintenance, and finances; when they were involved in mining, she was even willing to buy and transport dynamite! 

She was deeply involved in her community, actively supporting her daughters' schools, serving in her local church, and volunteering at the New to You thrift store. Over four decades, she also partnered with friends to help support a local family with special needs. Church was a place of belonging that helped the family grow in faith and service. Once their nest was empty, mission work and volunteering around the world became important acts of service together in California, Hawaii, and Thailand.

What do we take from a life well lived? She showed us that gratitude, generosity, faith, and staying connected with others are the keys to a meaningful life. Connie was a wonderful role model for these qualities, which will live on through her family as her lasting legacy.

She leaves behind: Ena and George Groot; Wilma and Mike deVries; Hendrik VanRyk; Joanne and Wade Berarducci; Lisa and Jeff Boehm; and their families. She is welcomed into heaven by her husband of 55 years, Mark, daughter Annemarie VanRyk and grandson Cass Berarducci.

A Celebration of Life will be held on August 13th at 2:00 pm in the Smithers CRC with Pastor Brian Schouten officiating. Anyone wishing to make donations in Connie’s memory can do so at the New to You Store in Smithers. 

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Connie Jacoba (Hazenberg) Kryger, please visit our Tree Store.