My dad was born in Jakarta in 1923. In those days Indonesia was colonized primarily by the Dutch, French and Germans – my dad also claimed that we were part Irish as well- I’m not too sure about that, but dad wasn’t big on making up stories. He spent his youth around tea plantations and was known to enjoy lagoon jumping on his Harley. Because of his natural skill with electronics, he received an apprenticeship with General Electric.

Life got a little complicated for Will in the forties when WW2 started. He joined the Royal Dutch Army, enlisting in a brigade known as the Red Elephants and fought as an American Ally in the Pacific Theater. He and one of his brothers were eventually captured and spent 3 ½ years as POWs in a Japanese prison camp of the Burmese Railroad (My dad always said that the movie Bridge On The River Kwai was very similar to his experience, although it's one of the few WWII movies that I have never seen). During his internment, unlike his younger brother, my father survived a death march. Until a few years ago, when he finally gave in to the endless excited queries of my nephews, my father would never talk about his experiences during the war.

After the war he left for the Netherlands, as Indonesia was settling into its independence. In that time Holland was becoming full of native-immigrants and none of them were excited about the chilly weather and difficult economic times. Queen (Beatrix) built an opportunity with the U.S. for families to settle in post war America. To my detriment, my dad decided against Manhattan and settled in Northern California. General Electric found him again, and he stayed with them for over 30 years. Dad could build and fix almost anything, and that is a skill that most of my brothers have inherited. My mom still has a set of cooking knives that dad made when he decided that the ones available in the stores weren’t good enough. Dad was an avid music lover, and every Sunday after Mass, we would go to Tower Records and we would buy an album or 45.

I grew up listening to big band, jazz, exotica, lounge and dorky Dutch music, plus I got to learn how to ballroom dance from that guy. I also learned how to curse like a sailor when I drove thanks to his driving lessons in our Galaxy 400 –- he would be mortified if he knew that, but I guess I can let that slip for just this moment.

I have my mother’s strength and sense of adventure, but my father was my heart. It’s gonna take me awhile to understand that I can’t talk to him anymore. Life just won’t be as happy and musical as it used to be for a while – but my memories, my family and my friends will get me through.




( This loving husband and father and Opa and friend will be greatly missed, but fondly remembered by all who loved and knew him. Remembrances may be made to Mercy Hospice or the St. Vincent De Paul Society.)