Catherine Bareman

1932 - 2017

“Her children rise up and call her blessed;” Proverbs 31:28a

On Sunday, January 22, 2017 after several years of declining health, the Lord called home his child, our mother, Catharina Bareman (nee Verschelling) at the age of 84 years.

A private visitation for family was held at Southland Funeral Chapel prior to the funeral service.

The Funeral Service was held at the First Christian Reformed Church, 3902 Heritage Drive, Taber on Monday, January 30, 2017 at 1:00 P.M. Burial followed at the Prairieview Cemetery, Grassy Lake at 3:30 P.M.

Catherine is survived by her six children John Bareman of Taber, Marion (Jeanette) Bareman of Grassy Lake, Cora (Jerry) Bareman-Hall of Taber, Ann (Wayne) Veenstra of Taber, Debbie (Derk) Daniels of Taber and Jim (Stephanie) Bareman of Lynden, Washington; twenty seven grandchildren and thirty great grandchildren. She is also survived by her brothers Fre (Jo) Verschelling and Adri (Saar) Verschelling, sisters Gre Vandevoorst and Janneke Verschelling (Cor) and brother-in-law Adri Dommisse of The Netherlands and by numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband Jack Bareman, her sister Riet Dommisse, daughter-in-law Alice Bareman, grandson Eric Bareman, great granddaughter Mika Bareman and brother-in-law Dick Vandevoorst.

Catherine was born on June 28, 1932 in Axel, Zeeland, The Netherlands to Marinus and Anna Verschelling, the eldest of six children. She met Jack when she was sixteen and joined him in Canada shortly after she turned twenty. They were married in Coaldale on November 2, 1952. They lived on a farm where Jack was employed and Catherine worked very hard, looking after the home and caring for the six children who were born within ten years of their marriage. Eventually, they purchased their own farm in Grassy Lake, where they lived until retiring to Taber in 1993. Catherine did book keeping for the farm as well as hoeing beets and being a “gopher” for many years. She loved to read, swim, go for walks, tend flowers and participate in church activities. The Christian faith was the foundation of her life. Catherine also greatly enjoyed spending time with her numerous grandchildren and took an interest in their activities. She never forgot a birthday and she and Jack kept busy making the rounds to celebrate each birthday. In later years, Catherine took delight in the arrival of many great grandchildren, now numbering thirty. After Jack’s passing in 2009, she continued to live in their condominium, enjoying time with her neighbours and friends until she moved to Linden View in September 2014.