It is always hard to lose someone you love. It does not matter if they have lived for 29 years or more than 100. And as we all know Oma had passed 101 years.
My fondest memory of Oma goes back to when I was 4 or maybe 5 years old (back in 1969 / 1970). Oma and Opa were staying in Australia for a period of time…the house must have been pretty cosy with 4 adults and 4 children (I was and still am the youngest).
Oma and Opa use to walk me to a playground, that had an old steel steam tractor. I use to play and climb all over it. I cannot remember if anyone else climbed aboard, it was just having the two of them with me that has made the memory stay special. Now days, when I drive past that same park, I have retold the story so many times to my son Sebastiaan (6 ½ years old), that he knows the park’s history and my fond memories of the time spent with my Oma.
And it is our personal memories of “Mams/Tante Pop/Oma” that will be with us forever, for we all loved her in our own way.
Brian Senstius"
"Sharon Norton (nee: Senstius)
After many years of not seeing Oma Poppy, it was wonderful to attend her 100th birthday party.
The big day arrived and we all trooped into her bedroom like the Australian Army- Mum, Audrey, Darcie, Sophie and myself. Unfortunately the only photograph Oma had of us grandchildren was about 35 years old, so it was quite hard for her to recognise us all.
After many attempts by Uncle Sam to convince her who we all were, it finally clicked or so we thought because as we were walking out of her bedroom she asked Auntie Eef, "Who are all these people?"
Even though she thought we were strangers we were all offered a chocolate from her secret stash, which she then promptly hid back under her pillow.Oma Poppy will always be in our thoughts and prayers
Sharon Norton"
2002 a visit from Patty
"In memory of Tante Pop by Folly Tengbergen…
When our family arrived from Indonesia we stayed with Oma Teng and Tante Pop for a few months. I was then about 12 years old. She often gave me some spending money for my "sweet tooth." She always kind of protected me from my parents "wrath" even though I was very mischievous.
Tante, we'll miss your giggle, your happy outlook on life and your generosity in sharing with us your love and long life. You will always be remembered by us! Folly, Patty and entire family"
2004 then the oldest (Tante Pop) & youngest (Madeline S.) Tengbergen decendents.
Thoughts by Melissa (Nix) Spence...
"New Year's day for our family came with sad news. Tante Pop, whom was 101 years old, passed peacefully at home yesterday morning. The news yesterday brought tears to my face and pain in my heart with the sorrow felt of knowing I wouldn't see her sweet smile and joyful eyes any longer. I do have peace inside due to my Faith in our Lord, that Tante Pop passed onto eternal life in the arms of our Lord. She was one of the most sweetest, thoughtful and generous ladies I have ever met. I have many fond memories of her. And I'm glad our children were able to meet her. The first time Madeline met her, she was under 1 and Tante was 98 - then, the oldest and youngest members of our family. Madeline saw Tante Pop again this past summer, and James was able to meet her too. I remember James just walked right into her bedroom and started tapping her arm. Tante was sleeping, but awoke with a smile and a chuckle. She said she thought an angel was tapping her in her dreams. Tante Pop will be missed by so many, because she was loved by so many.
God our Father, Your power brings us to birth, Your providence guides our lives, and by Your command we return to dust. Lord, those who die still live in Your presence, their lives change but do not end. I pray in hope for my family, especially Tante Pop, relatives and friends, and for all the dead known to You alone. In company with Christ, Who died and now lives, may they rejoice in Your kingdom, where all our tears are wiped away. Unite us together again in one family, to sing Your praise forever and ever. Amen."
2002 on Melissa's wedding day.
"Tante Pop, my Dads sister, has been a big part of my life! My youngest memory of her was around 1954/1955 in Holland when we met her and Oom Will again at my grandparents home in The Hague at Pijnboomstraat 28. They lived there too taking care of my grandparents (her parents) after they also came back from Indonesia.
Every weekend we’d go there and she’d always have something special for us (my brother and sister too). She was always a happy person and I liked being around her. This was a traditional family event and her other brother, Oom Rob, and his family would be there often too, along with her oldest daughter Eef.
After we moved to America in 1957, we certainly missed seeing her, but in the 1970’s she and Oom Will retired to America to live with her oldest daughter and husband who by then lived here too. And as luck would have it they also lived here in Fountain Valley. So now they were part of the family gatherings again and the family had really grown since my siblings and I got married and had children, she also had another nephew, Robert, here with his family and her husband’s sister and her family also lived here in Southern California. Looking at the pictures and 8mm movies it really was a wonderful time with many gatherings. After my parents passed away and her other brother too she became the Tengbergen Matriarch for the last 20 years.
In the last 10 to 15 years I often went along to her favorite place, Las Vegas. We often went in our brown Ford van, dubbed “Vegas bus” often with visitors from Holland. Her special place was the seat behind the driver, usually me. We had so much fun and she was always so generous (“royal “) treating us to so many things and giving us money and more so when she won a jackpot, she would immediately share and even give the casino change person a very big tip. Well since she moved to live in Las Vegas with Eef and Han, the last few years I’ve been flying there to visit them, but she was getting too tired to go to the casinos and she would tell me “next time you come I’ll go again” but she never did.
During these last few years I had the opportunity to hear more about her life in Indonesia. Since she didn’t go out with us anymore, she continued being so generous to us and threatened to get mad if we did not except, which of course she never did get mad. The last time I saw Tante Pop was in June, 2008 with Melissa and her family. Sadly I was not able to see her for her Birthday in October and was very saddened to hear of her passing. Rest in Peace Tante Pop even though we miss you very much! With love from, Thea Nix"
2001 Leen, Tante & Thea at SUSIE's.
"My earliest childhood memory of Tante Pop was at my Opa and Oma’s home at Pijnboomstraat 28, Den Haag. The house always smelled so good when Tante was preparing the family Sunday dinners. After eating, my favorite thing was to watch her peel the apples and pears at the dinner table. I was fascinated that the peel always looked like a perfectly continuous circular ribbon. How did she do that? She had a sort of sternness about her and I would think twice before misbehaving in her presence. Her soft side would always appear though as she would spoil us with goodies, spending money or candy and whisper “don’t tell anyone”. She still said that to me the last time I visited her in October when she gave me money to play the slot machines. Reminiscing about the “old days” while I was cutting her hair, were special moments with her that I will treasure forever.
In her memory, I will spend February 9th on a bluff in Corona del Mar, overlooking the ocean as the sun sparkles on the water and the sailboats float by. This was one of her favorite places to visit and enjoy a picnic in the warm sunshine.
Home with the Lord… Rest in Peace, Tante Pop
Love Leen Stillman"
"Some thoughts on Tante
Always smiling and cheerful is the way I will remember Tante Pop, a selfless and giving lady. Even as she aged and getting around became more of a challenge, she was cheery and had a bright smile for all who came to visit her. I remember visiting Caesar’s Palace with her on one occasion where she enjoyed being parked in front of the nickel slots where she could try to secure that ever elusive jackpot. But her shyness, even at her 100th birthday, was just further evidence of her selflessness. I will miss her. Jack Stillman
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
2001 Tante and Denise at baby shower.
"Remembering Tante Pop…
For as long as I can remember, Tante Pop was this kind old lady. I considered her to be my “third” Grandmother. We used to see her at all the family gatherings and when we would visit Tante Eef, Oom Sam, and Oom Will.
Tante Pop was always in a happy mood. She never seemed to have a care in the world and always had this little twinkle in her eye! Sometimes she would give me a little surprise and told me not to tell anyone else. While visiting her in Las Vegas, when she was getting up there in years :) , she was crumbling what appeared to be bread or toast. I asked my Mom what she was doing that for…my Mom said that she was making bread crumbs to feed the birds. That was the kind of person she was, always thinking of others (even little animals).
I will definitely miss her, but I know that she is in heaven with Oom Wil and she will be watching over all of us.
Love always, Denise Stillman"
"There are so many memories I have of Tante Pop that it would be impossible to list them all. I remember when we took her for ice cream at Thrifty’s and she giggled like a school girl as we joked around. One of my more recent memories, was when I showed her a picture of Rob for the first time. She liked him. :) Which was a very good thing, seeing as how she had a knack for knowing what was going to happen in the future. I’d call her psychic. Her determination and good nature ensured she had a full life. Hearing stories of happy hour’s from bygone days and when they moved to Vegas how she would park her wheelchair in front of the slots and play for hours, she lived life to the fullest!
I will miss her dearly. But we should all be so lucky to have a life as hers, spanning a century, full of ups and downs, good times and bad and through it all sharing it with loving family and friends.
I love you Tante Pop! Say Hi to Oom Wil for me!!
Jennifer Stillman"
"Nadat we in 1978 een keer per jaar in California op familiebezoek kwamen leerden we tante Pop beter kennen want we logeerden ook vaak in FountainValley.
Wat hebben we met tante ook veel gelachen vooral met het “Chinees-bridgen” waarbij ze ons vaak in het ootje nam. Ook de vele trips vanuit Oceanside naar Las Vegas met haar
Waren onvergetelijke gezellige momenten.Bij de vele fijne herinneringen aan tante Pop vind ik de mooiste:haar 100ste verjaardag in LasVegas waar ik bij heb mogen zijn en met
Dankbare gevoelens aan terugdenk, een bijzondere dag van een bijzondere vrouw aan wie ik met liefde blijf denken. Bea van Buuren.
Een moeder sterft altijd te vroeg
Al wordt zij nog zo oud
Je bidt dat God haar sparen zal
Omdat je van haar houdt
Maar als de dagen knellen gaan
Zij moe wordt of benauwd
Bid je dat God haar halen zal
Omdat je van haar houdt.
Overgenomen."
..
"My first memory of Tante Pop was when I was a young spoiled brad of 5 years old.
We had just arrived from Indonesia. It was winter. We climbed those incredibly steep stairs to get to Oma Teng's place.
We had just arrived from Indonesia. It was winter. We climbed those incredibly steep stairs to get to Oma Teng's place.
There was this very old woman sitting in a chair smoking a cigarette with the darn window open .... was she crazy ... it was freeezing!
Then another old woman walked in scolding this very old woman for smoking. (remember at the age of 5 - everyone over 10 was "old" in my book) Frankly, I was just happy she closed that window.
Turned out that the very old woman was my Oma Teng and the not so old woman was her daughter, my Tante Pop.
Then at the dinner table Tante Pop would scold Oma some more. Apparently Oma slapping her leg was intended to disguise something else. I wondered where the smell came from. Could not have been the lontong or nasi goreng. 'Bauw kentoet' I believe they called it. Maybe someone should have opened that window again.
Funny how years later our paths crossed again. Tante Pop and Oom Wil settled in So California about the same time my wife Sherie and I decided to call SoCal our home.
We enjoyed our family gatherings. Tante Pop always had something nice to say. And if she did not have anything nice to say, she would just observe in quiet wisdom and smile. She was an incredibly kindhearted soul. We will cherish all the moments we were fortunate of having been allowed to share with her. She will live on in our memories. She will be forever in our hearts.
Robert Sherie & Jason Tengbergen"
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