Thea Sinninghe, 75

Thea Sinninghe of Rainy River, Ont., passed away Saturday, September 17, 2005 at the Thunder Bay Regional Hospital.
She was born on December 21, 1929 in the Netherlands to Jan and Frouk Wiersema. She was the third oldest of 16 children, with 10 brothers and five sisters. Thea’s husband Thys first met her brothers and became friends but soon developed another friendship with Thea which lasted 54 years. They were married on July 3rd, 1951 and a week later they moved to Canada. They travelled from Halifax to Winnipeg by a 2 day train ride, staying in Winnipeg for 2 years.
In 1953 they moved to Pinewood and that year they had their first child Frieda. later that same year they moved to Atikokan where they lived for 3 and a half years. There was no idle time there, as 2 more children were born, Rudy and John.
In the spring of 1957 they bought the dairy farm and moved to Rainy River where they lived for 20 years. 3 more children were born during this time, Jack, Fred and Akky.
Thea was involved in many organizations, the Women’s Institute, 4-H, the Red Cross and also as a foster parent for a number of years, until her arthritis forced her to retire.
Thea was predeceased by her parents, one daughter 4 brothers and one brother-in-law.
Thea is survived by her husband Thys, 5 children, Rudy (Marie), John (Donna) of Rainy River, Jack (Wendy) of Winnipeg, Fred (Cathie) of Fort Frances, and Akky (Scott) of Winnipeg; and seven grandchildren, Nicole, Ryan, Rodney (Nikki), Jared, Marisa, Kyle and Bethany, and one great-grandson Ryder.
Also surviving are 6 brothers Fred (Klazina), Archie (Eleanor), Eltjo (Dorothy), John (Hettie), Corrie (Janice) and Henry (Jean), and 5 sisters Annie (Hank) Bakker, Anna VanLeeuwen, Lottie (Archie) Schanowski, Anneke (Nelson) Brown and Bertha (Dan) Dielman, sister-in-laws Grace, Mary, Elsa & Jean Wiersema as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held Friday, September 23, 2005 at 10:30 a.m. at the Christian Reformed Church in Emo. Pastor Dan Vos officiated, with internment in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Rainy River.
Pallbearers were Henry Bakker, Rick Bakker, John Wiersema, Ryan Sinninghe, Rodney Sinninghe, and Jared Sinninghe.
Should friends so desire, in memoriam donations may be made to The Arthritis Society or the ALS Society of Ontario or the charity of your choice.