Roeland A. Hartmans
HARTMANS, Roeland A. – Roeland A. Hartmans was born on March 5,1933 in Medan, Indonesia. He had a happy early childhood in Medan. When he turned nine, Japan invaded Indonesia and he was placed in a concentration camp with his grandmother and his sister, Thea. At the age of ten, he was transferred to the men’s concentration camp where he joined his grandfather and uncle. He spent the rest of the Second World War imprisoned until his liberation by British forces in 1945.
Following their liberation, his family returned to the Netherlands. After he finished high school, Roeland earned a diploma in landscape architecture in 1955. That same year, he emigrated to Canada to find work. A year later he felt called to become a minister in the Reformed Church, which led him to pursue education at Central College in Pella, Iowa. This is where he met the love of his life, Carol Jean Webster, through a friend. They had two sons together, Andrew and Peter.
Roeland served in the Reformed Church of America for 30 years in Lethbridge Alberta, Toronto, and Woodstock, Ontario. He was fondly remembered for his steadfast dedication and service to his congregations. His work in ministry rubbed off on both of his sons who also became church ministers. Roeland and Jean retired to Goderich, Ontario where they thoroughly enjoyed Lake Huron and the Goderich community.
In later life, Roeland and Jean moved to Guelph to be closer to family. Roeland pursued a variety of hobbies and passions in retirement. He remained physically active through biking, hiking and gardening. In his seventies, he completed two triathlons. Jean and Roeland also traveled extensively throughout Europe, the United States, and the Caribbean. Born in a tropical environment, Roeland always loved sunshine and warm destinations.
Roeland also dedicated tremendous time and love to his six grandchildren and three step-grandchildren. From time spent at the beach to sleepovers at Grandpa and Grandma’s house, he and Jean loved to spend time with family. Roeland is fondly remembered as the storyteller and keeper of family history. He toured his grandchildren through their house recounting stories about the many artifacts he had collected during his life. Christmas and Easter at Grandpa and Grandma’s was always filled with love, special traditions and lots of Dutch treats.
Roeland lost the love of his life in 2020 when Jean passed suddenly. Despite grief and declining health, he continued to care for his beautiful backyard garden and he enjoyed simple pleasures such as reading, listening to audiobooks and the occasional treat. He also cherished spending time with loved-ones. Roeland will be dearly missed by Andrew’s family: Andrew (Andrea), Lily (Michael), Phoebe, Ross, Caroline, Elise (Ricco) and Tessa, and Peter’s family: Peter (Alice), Erin (Matt), Sam (Erin C.), Ben, Norah and Lillian.
A memorial service will be held at Dublin St. United Church, 68 Suffolk St. W., Guelph at 2pm on Sunday, November 30th. Arrangements entrusted to the WALL-CUSTANCE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL 519-822-0051 / www.wallcustance.com.
We sincerely thank all who have supported Roeland in recent years including his medical team, his palliative care team, his Arbour Trails family, and the Hospice Wellington team who literally brought sunshine to his final days.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Dublin St. United Church or Hospice Wellington would be appreciated.
A tree will be planted in memory of Roeland A. Hartmans in the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest.