Mrs. Gerard Verkaik

Mrs. Gerard Verkaik, Willy, 97, was called home by our Lord September 29th, 2024, at her residence in Awendaw, SC. Born August 6, 1927 in Doetinchem, the Netherlands, she was the beloved daughter of the late Hendrik Jan Eeltink and Adriana Cornelia Verbeek Eeltink. A childhood survivor of World War II and the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands from 1940-1945, her life was shaped by resilience and courage. She met her husband, Gerard Verkaik, Jr. in 1949, engaged in 1951 and married in 1953. Willy immigrated to Canada in 1954 and then to the United States in 1957, where she built a life filled with love and devotion. Her greatest joy was being a wife and mother, always putting her family first with an unwavering heart full of kindness. She is survived by her children James (and Teri), Tim (and Aileen), Lisa (and Joseph) Paolino, and Nancy (and Jim) Saucier, numerous grandchildren; and a growing number of great-grandchildren who carry her spirit forward. A strong believer in the Lord, she is now rejoicing in heaven. Visitation will be held at the J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Mount Pleasant Chapel, SC, on Saturday, October 5th, at 12:30 pm, followed by services at 1:00 pm.

Flowers are welcome or if preferred, donations can be made in the name of Mrs. Gerard Verkaik to Colbert Elementary School where she donated handmade baby blankets to raise money https://colbertpto.weebly.com/ or the Lowcountry Biblical Counseling Center, an organization that counsels through God’s word www.lcbcc.org

A memorial message may be sent to the family on our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com.