Blaauwendraat (Swaart), Aafje Jacoba “Co” - of Princeport, N.S., passed away peacefully, early Sunday morning, January 12, 2025, in Princeport, at the home of her daughter and caregiver, Isabella. Co was born in The Netherlands in 1923. She spent her early days in Holland working in the family hardware store as the accountant and bill collector. During the war, Co and her elder sister operated a covert radio program from their attic, playing music for the local community.
In 1958, while visiting her sister in Beaverbrook, she first met her husband to be, Frank Blaauwendraat, a local dairy farmer. Six months later she was married and settled to raise their family on Beech Hill Farms in Princeport. Living in the shadows of her larger-than-life husband, Co led a life supporting his farm and caring for her family where she raised three of her four children. Her youngest daughter, Maria “Ria”, developed a significant disability at 18 months and went to Holland to be cared for by Co’s sister, Ria Van der Berg, as there were more advanced supports in that area. Co was blessed in being able to travel home to Holland whenever she wanted to visit.
Co was famous for her oatmeal cookies, Dutch soup with meatballs, and cook vanilla pudding. In addition to her cooking, her grandchildren will always remember the Scotsburn Peach drink she always had in the fridge and the Mentos candies and peppermints in her purse at church.
Co was a dedicated member of the John Calvin Christian Reformed Church and an active member in the Jeugd van Vroeger, the senior’s group she attended monthly with Frank.
With the passing of Frank in 2012, Co was fortunate to live under the dedicated care of Isabella. Though her quality of life deteriorated in her last few years, she was blessed with the company of multiple generations of family.
Co is survived by her children, Isabella (Guy), John (Krista), Rudolph (Charlene) and Ria; her seventeen grandchildren and twenty-nine great-grandchildren. She is survived by her older sister, Annie Stokdijk. She was predeceased by her husband, Frank, and her younger sister, Ria.
Funeral Service will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, January 16, 2025, in John Calvin Christian Reformed Church, 169 Glenwood Dr., Truro, N.S., with Rev. Tom van Milligen officiating. Interment will be held later date.
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