Emo woman celebrates 90th birthday

Mrs. Nellie de Jong celebrated her 90th birthday over the weekend, with immediate family coming in to wish her the best of health for years to come.
The parties started at the Golden Age Manor with neighbours and residents offering greetings amid cake and dainties. She enjoyed the day with a smile.
Then after the Sunday morning worship service at the Christian Reformed Church in Emo, everyone pitched in to get a piece of tasty decorated cake in the fellowship hall.
Nellie VanDorp was born in Schipluien, Holland on April 19, 1911. She was the second child of a family of eight children, two of whom passed away at a young age.
The family left Holland in 1920 when she was only nine years old and started farming close to Winnipeg.
Her husband to be, Jacob de Jong, moved to Canada later and arrived in Winnipeg. They found each other and got engaged. They were married Oct. 7, 1931 and started farming until Jacob got a job as field worker for immigration in 1948.
Their marriage was blessed with eight children although two have passed away.
In 1955, the couple moved to the Devlin area, where they farmed on what is now Kaemingh’s farm. Then they moved into the west end of Emo in 1972, moving into their own house two years later.
Jacob passed away Sept. 14, 1992 at age 91. In 1996, Nellie moved to the Golden Age Manor in Emo.
The Dorcas Ladies catered her birthday supper, which was attended by 93 family members. They sang Nellie’s favourite songs, “This Is the Day” and “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” (also a favourite of Jacob’s) while the grandchildren sang “Jesus Loves Me” and “Now Thank We All Our God.”
Included in the 93 family members present were 22 of 25 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren out of 41.
“It all was a great surprise so many could be here,” Nellie said on my visit to her apartment at the Golden Age Manor.
But while she noted being alone means it can be lonesome some days, Nellie added she had a grand bunch of friends who look after her needs here.