This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved one, Helen Hootsmans, 81, born on October 31st, 1938 and passed away on July 23rd, 2020. We will remember her forever.
The first of two Memorial services was held in the Netherlands, at 9:30 AM US Eastern time on Saturday, August 1, 2020 at St. Ansfridus Church, Jacob Catslaan 28, Amersfoort, the Netherlands. To access the livestream recording of the Mass, click here. For the liturgy booklet, click here.
The condolence register of the funeral home is at www.kisnerenvanderwaarde.nl/registers/hootsmans.
A subsequent Memorial Service will be held in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on November 7.
We will celebrate a funeral Mass for Helen on November 7, 2020 at 11 AM at St. Paul's Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, followed by her burial at Mt. Auburn Cemetery at 1 PM.
In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Dr. Norbert Hootsmans, 7 Eagle Bluff, Harpswell, ME 04079, with notation that the gift is for the Helen Hootsmans-McMahon Scholarship Fund.
I always enjoyed chatting with her during events at OBYC. She was such an OBYC Book Group enthusiast and always had insightful comments to share. My condolences to all of you.
Dear Bert, Bert Jr and Helen Jr, and family of our deceased
Helen Hootsmans-McMahon
Among my first friends in NL, Helen & Bert and their children have meant very much to me throughout the many years since I met them in 1974.
Among many things, Helen introduced me to the American Air Force Base chapel in Soesterberg, which opened a whole new world for me, as shortly thereafter, contract chaplain in the NATO for almost 20 years.
Soesterberg Air Force base chapel was also the place where I took my final vows to religious life as an SFCC, 15 november 1975, with my parents from California, and Helen & Bert among many friends there as well.
Helen introduced me into the American Women's Association overseas.
So often at her lovely home in Amersfoort, she sponsored group gatherings to connect people with each other from all over the world. She was a true community-builder!
She came to the USA as part of my attempt to build-bridges between NL and USA re health care systems, and sponsored a few of the conferences in the years I brought people from the USA on my 'Benelux Health Tours' in collaboration with The Pacific Institute for Bioethics, a non-profit which I founded in 1985, and, the Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht (RUU) Center for Bioethics.
"Champion of equality for all people", for that she truly was!
thinking of you all, in deep gratitude for what Helen and you all have meant to me in my life's journey.
my deepest sympathies and condolences,
from your sister at the sea in The Netherlands,
Sr. Teri
zr prof dr T A Takken
I can only reiterate what i wrote a year ago … still in awe and gratitude for the great inspiration helen was and still is in my life????
It should have been !!!! Above and not????
