Coby Van Manen

Obituary Mrs. Jacoba Catherina Maria Keet van Manen (Coby) restfully passed in her sleep on October, 16, 2014 at St. Elisabeth Huis in Lage Vuursche, the Netherlands. She joins her beloved husband of 70 years, Sid van Manen, who preceded her in death on October 7, 2014. Born in Hilversum, the Netherlands on September 5, 1920, as the eldest of five daughters in the Keet family, she was a loving and caring daughter, sister and mother. She married Sid van Manen in Hilversum on 11/22/44 while war raged during the occupation of her homeland. A woman of strength, fortitude and determination, she cycled 50 miles while pregnant with her first born during wartime for a bag of potatoes to feed her family. In 1960, she came to the United States with her husband and three children Dick, Mildred and Maria. That year, she also gave birth to her youngest son, Ron. As Sid's work brought them from one place to another, Coby always maintained a warm, inviting home for the family. Their last home in the U.S. was on Mile Point in Ferrisburg, VT where Sid and Coby loved to sail, cross-country ski and tend to their beautiful gardens. After living in the U.S. for 11 years, Coby, Sid and Ron returned to the Netherlands where they settled in Soest and lived in their much-loved home for 43 years. Coby loved children, flowers and bird watching. She was an ace at tennis in her younger years-often besting her Sid. As his partner in bridge, they often won tournaments at their favorite yacht club. In her later years she loved to do the daily crossword puzzles and would finish them in record time. Mrs. Van Manen is survived by her children, Dick van Manen/Joanne of Canandaigua, NY; Millie Haynes/Richard of Jacksonville, FL; Dr. Maria Mack/Dennis of Lakewood, WA; and Ron van Manen/Edith of Bergen, the Netherlands; her grandchildren, Michelle Case of San Antonio, TX; Heather Mack of Des Moines, WA; Brooke Barrows/Howard of Los Angeles, CA; Jennifer Gaffney/Corey of Tacoma, WA; Jonathan van Manen/Jennifer of Cary, NC; Jesper van Manen of Bergen, the Netherlands; Menno van Manen of Bergen, the Netherlands; Johnna Millen of Seattle, WA; and Shanna Jamanis of Rochester, NY; and great grandchildren Dara, Taylor, Abigail, Emma, Connor, Zenin, Glykaria and Ioana . Services will be held in Bilthoven, the Netherlands on October 25, 2014.