It is with sadness that we announce that Maria “Rita” van der Zyden, age 95, passed away peacefully at home with her daughter Joan by her side on April 26, 2020. Predeceased by her loving husband and best friend, Hank. Rita is survived by her daughter Wilma (Dave) Cutler, daughter Joan van der Zyden (SJC), son Jack (Lourie) van der Zyden, daughter Sandra van der Zyden, daughter Margo (Mike) DeGray, her 8 grandchildren Justin (Claire) Cutler, Caroline (Matt) Noakes, Joanna (Scott) Sneddon, Ashley (Brendan) Smith, Kyle (Cait) van der Zyden, Whitney (Dan) Hudak, Ryan Fallow, Kiersten van der Zyden and her 5 great-grandchildren Elliot, Charlotte, Adeline, Norah, and Eleanor. Rita was born in Wassenaar, Netherlands, one of 14 children. She was predeceased by her sisters, Rien, Wilma, Neil, Cock, Hanny, Tina, Marian, and her brothers Nickie and Kees. She will be sadly missed by her sisters, Theodora (Adrian), Coby and Bep, her brother Nick (Rita), her sisters-in-law Annie, Wilma and Clazien, along with her many nieces and nephews. We thank all those who have supported our mother in her journey over the past years including her Personal Support Workers Teena, Pat, Hazel and Yvonne, her family and close friends and the Senior’s Group at St. Joseph the Worker Parish. A special debt of gratitude to Joan’s congregation, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, for allowing Joan to care for mom for the past three years. A ‘Celebration of Life Mass’ at St. Joseph the Worker Parish and burial at Resurrection Cemetery will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, online donations can be made to Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny at http://www.clunyusandcanada.org/pages/share_donate.html or by cheque using the link below in the donation section.