Martin Bongers

Martin Bongers of the Hartford Retirement Centre in Morrisburg, formerly of RR#1 South Mountain, passed away at the Ottawa Civic Hospital on Jan. 30, 2009. He was 83.
He was born on Dec. 31, 1925 in Zeeland North Brabant, the Netherlands to the late Cornelius Bongers and the late Lamberdina van de Leygraaf. He is survived by his wife Martina Ceelen whom he married in South Mountain on April 20, 1990. He was predeceased in 1988 by his wife Martina "Mary" van den Acker. He was the father of Betty (Dalton) Hart, Tina (John) Smit, Connie (John) Pepers, Debbie (the late Henry) Westenbroek, Ted (Mary), Paul (Susan), and Monica (Kendell) Skillen; Ted (Karin) Ceelen, Henry (Marilyn) Ceelen, John (Joy) Ceelen, Paul (Debbie) Ceelen, Diane (Wade) Alarie, and Mike (Bonnie) Ceelen. He was the grandfather of 32 grandchildren, one great-grandson and was predeceased by grandson Brandon. He was the brother of Cisca of the Netherlands, and was predeceased by three brothers and three sisters.
He was a farmer and former employee of Berry's Feed Store. He served in the Dutch Army in Indonesia in 1947 to 1949. He was an active shuffleboard group player. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, St. Daniel's Roman Catholic Church, and St. Daniel's Roman Catholic Church Choir.
The funeral was held at St. Daniel's Roman Catholic Church in South Mountain on Feb. 3 with Father John Gillis officiating. Interment will be in the spring at St. Daniel's Catholic Cemetery. The pallbearers were Karl and Chris Ceelen, Jonathan Alarie, Joshua Henry, Anthony Bongers, and Anthony Westenbroek. The honourary pallbearer was Sean Skillen.
The funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Byers Funeral Home in South Mountain.