Barbara Huizinga - Online Memorial Website

Dear Huizinga Family,

My husband and I recently spent our honeymoon in St. John and went snorkeling for the first time in the gentle waters of Maho Bay on 10/10/12.  

Barbara's memorial stone was one of the first things we saw -- it was clearly a gravestone of some sort, but I couldn't read the words so I swam down and brushed away the sand to get a better look. My eyes filled with tears as I read what was inscribed there. What a lovely way you have chosen to remember her!

As a former high school teacher, I truly appreciate the gift a caring and talented teacher is to both the lives of individual students and to the culture of the school community as a whole.  It sounds like "Mrs. H" was such a teacher and she is deeply missed and fondly remembered not only by her family but by her students and colleagues.

I lost my loving mother to cancer in February of 2009, not too long after Barbara's passing, and have been missing my mom even more as the time for our wedding neared, so it was especially touching to encounter your mom's memorial stone while on our honeymoon.  I bet Barbara and my mother, Louisa, would have liked each other a great deal.  :-)

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that we saw the stone, and thought of you all, and wanted to know her story, and were happy to find this website.   Hope you are well, and that the pain of her loss is lessened somewhat by the enormity of love, joy, and goodness it sounds like she left in her wake.

Patty (and Scott) 

i am sorry for your loss of mrs.huizinga though i didnt get to meet you yet but you seemed like a nice teacher to me my step-sister desiree huskey loved mrs. h and she told me how sweet and funny and nice she was to everybody at vms and i wish you all my prayers and i will pray for her every night before i go to bed ok

Dear Chris and Marc,

As we mourn the loss of our mothers, may we find comfort in the thought of them giggling and hugging in Heaven.

Lord bless,

Marjorie

I did not  meet you Mrs. "H" but I felt that I knew you.  Sheldon is my grandson & I heard just wonderful things about you & everything that you did for him. You were & still are a very special lady, just wished I could have met you!!!  I like Diet Pepsi too!!!!!

Chris,        Though many years have passed... and you probably don't even remember who I am... I was looking through the paper today, and saw that your mom had passed. I just would like to tell you  I'm sorry for your loss.  My mom has passed also... and not a day goes by without me thinking of her. "Life gives us brief moments with another...but in those brief moments we get memories that last a life time " 

 

Cristie-  I do remember you fondly.  thank you for your kind words, i am sorry to read of your mothers passing.  I wish you the best.  sincerely Chris                                                                                                   

Chris,

 

 

It is not often that I meet someone who loved life as much as Barb.  She laughed more than she cried, not because she never felt stress or experienced failure, but because Barb chose to live her life looking at the silver lining instead of the dark cloud.  Her Pepsi can was always half-full, not half-empty.   I will miss exchanging middle school stories with her, but I will never forget the important things she showed me:  love my children unconditionally and sacrafice to make their lives better, and love my students and use my intelligence to make a difference in the world.  The world is a better place because Barb was in it.  Her legacy will carry on without end.

Barb, I knew you for a short six years, but you treated me like family.  You were truly a happy person, full of love and joy for everyone. 

 

I will never forget you with the big smile on your face and sneakers on your feet.

What a fun and gracious person.

 

You will be missed dearly by all who knew you!

 

Ellie

We will always miss you!

everything in life has a purpose

Rest in peace mrs.h i hope you have become an angel for our school