in_memoriam

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In Memoriam (10) 2024

Kevin Johnson (UK): It is with great sadness I announce the passing of our dear friend Margaret Butler. Margaret and husband Raymond, were good friends of Mum and Dad through the Birmingham Air Raids group. When Dad passed Margaret and Ray asked Mum if she would help them fulfil a dream and take them to Maastricht to see André live on the Vrijthof. In 2017 they travelled to Maastricht with us, Johnsons, and attended the fan dinner and a concert with us. They were welcomed by many people and said it was an experience they “Will Never Forget”. Margaret sadly was the victim of Alzheimer’s/ Dementia and passed peacefully on the 8th of February. Our love goes to all the family at this sad time.

February 8, 2024. In Memoriam: Margaret Butler, UK (86)

Edwina Morgan (Australia): We were very sad to see the news on the passing of a great André Rieu fan: Pat Both!! Pat came from a small town on the coast of South Australia called Port Elliot. Every time Andre toured Australia, Pat would be at his Adelaide & Melbourne concerts. Pat was a real fan and one wall in her house had his photos placed perfectly as you walked through the front door, there he was. Pat was a lovely lady and loved meeting up with other fans. Condolences go to her son Blair, family & friends! She will be missed by all who knew her!

February 8, 2024 In Memoriam: Path Both, Australia,

Tribute by Adele Geritzen. Sue Casi R.I.P. Dear Sue, I will miss you loads. I am still gutted at the news. You were too young to leave us, and with little warning. I knew that you were not feeling too good lately, I did not realize that things were so bad. We had plans to meet up in Maastricht, (where we met so many times) to have a dinner together on the square, listening to the music of André Rieu, dancing, having fun and a lot of laughs for sure. I will miss your bright smile and cute sense of humour, the video clips you used to send me of your trips together all over the world, with your Knight in Shining Armour, your Rock, your husband of 34 years, your Casi. You have left him for a better place, no more suffering. One day we will all join you and laugh again. Dear Casi, my heart goes out to you. I am sad beyond words. I wish you a lot of strength and courage and I will be thinking of you both on Wednesday April 25, when you say your goodbye to your sweet and unforgettable wife.

April 9, 2024 In Memoriam: Sue Casimir - Rank, UK (79)

photo: Linda and Terry Kirkman from the UK, Sue & Casi, Maurice and Adele, in 2022.

May 20, 2024 In Memoriam: the Danish chihuahua Miki (9) Many fans know the Danish couple Birte and Ejner Øbo, who joined the fans picnic in Maastricht almost every year, with their little chihuahua Miki. Over the years the dog has worn three different "jackets", stating that he is an André fan. Birte recently announced on Facebook that Miki passed away during the Pentecost weekend of May 20, 2024, while they were at the campsite. The dog meant a lot to Birte and Ejner, but also to the André fans who attended the fans' picnics. We wish Birte and Ejner a lot of strength with their loss. We will see them again in Maastricht, at the 1st fans picnic, but unfortunately without their beloved Miki.

Click HERE to go back to In Memoriam, page 9.

June 21, 2024 fan dinner 2013. In Memoriam: Harry Needham, UK. From Facebook: Harmony Parlor Fan Group: by Judy Needham. “Today we said goodbye to a wonderful man, my husband of nearly 56 years. I met Harry who was a penfriend at Gatwick airport on August 3rd 1966. I lost him May 22nd 2024. Harry had Dementia and day by day Dementia took his memory, his mobility, speech, but not his love for me and our girls, We were advised that music helped and Harry loved listening to the radio, always Classic FM, and in the early days he would say either André played that or that's André. So at his funeral today we entered the crematorium to “Gabriels Oboe” and left to “The Gadfly”, both Harry's favourite pieces. We met some lovely people at André’s concerts here in the UK and in Maastricht, and they are memories I will cherish along with many more”. Dear Judy, our deepest condolences go to you and your family. We remember you and Harry, joining our fan dinner in 2013. We hope you may find comfort in André’s music.

June 23, 2024 In Memoriam: Bente Rosendal Hansen (68) DK Chris Fowler, HP: “We have been informed by her husband Finn, that Danish André- fan Bente Rosendal Hansen passed away from cancer on the night of 23rd June. She had been admitted to hospital a week before, although she had not enjoyed the best of health for some time.

She had just celebrated her 68th birthday on 5th June. At one time Bente had worked in a retirement home. She also amazed her friends when she learnt to drive a bus! She retired in 2020. She was a cat lover and cared for Fifi and Emil. She attended Andre’s concerts in Denmark and in Maastricht, where she also attended a fan dinner in 2014. She will be missed by all who knew her. Our condolences to her husband Finn”. Picture: Bente at the right side, with her Danish friend Anna Marie Nielsen, at the fan dinner in Maastricht, July 2014.

July 13, 2024 In Memoriam Bill Jamieson (80), New Zealand July 10th. After enjoying the first series of Vrijthof concerts and the fan dinner, Bill and Heather were at the hotel ready to travel back to New Zealand. Luggage was packed. Suddenly Bill fell into a coma, and was rushed to the Maastricht hospital, examined and treated. The son and daughter-in-law immediately took a plane and traveled to the Netherlands, a two day trip… Three days later Bill passed away in the presence of his wife, son and daughter-in-law. Our sincere condolences go to our dear Heather and the family. The fans are also very upset. (Over 200 messages on Facebook).

Heather sent us a message: “Dear Bill passed away at 1.40 pm on Saturday, July 13. We were by his side. It has been hard, but with the help, caring and love of you folk and many others, it has made me feel a whole lot better. But I have fallen apart today; I guess that is natural. We are upset of course, but knew it was ineffable, he wasn't going to get any better. Love, Heather, Hamish & Fiona Jamieson”.

Fan dinner on July 5th 2024

Heather, their son Hamish and his wife Fiona, decided to have Bill cremated here in Maastricht and inter the urn in Sydney, where their children live. We remembered Hanne’ s profession and so, another hardcore André Rieu fan came to the rescue. Hanne Jäger from Germany owns a funeral company just across the Dutch border. She will take over now. On Tuesday, July 16th, Bill will be transferred from the hospital morgue to the crematorium in Maastricht. A lot of paperwork has to be done and contacting Sydney is difficult due to a time difference. We don't know yet when the ashes will be released. What a great cooperation of André fans!! It’s amazing.

Everyone was so willing to help selflessly. From the hotel managements of both Amrath hotels DuCasque and Bigarré, who were able to arrange a nice 3-person room in sold-out Maastricht hotels, to the medical workers, Hanne’s company, to the André Rieu fans. It's great and a huge help to the family. Picture on the left: When we messaged her, Hanne Jäger turned out to be in Maastricht and the “business conversations” took place on the terrace of the well-known Vogelstruys café.

Heather received a token of sympathy from André, Marjorie and Pierre. It made her very happy. You may read more on the page: Maastricht 2024 “Our own story”, click HERE.

HEATHER’s MESSAGE TO THE FANS, July 20, 2024. "Dear friends of the Harmony Parlor on Facebook. As I leave Maastricht with a heavy heart, I just want to thank you all for your messages of love and support that you have shown me since Bill's passing. Ineke, Ruud, you have been my rock and I shall always remember all that you have done for me. Also Hanne, for taking care of Bill's destiny: many thanks. André, Marjorie, Pierre, who have brought much happiness to Bill and my lives. Thank you for the music, the flowers, concert tickets and amazing support. My hope is that I can return to Maastricht again soon. It was Bill's happy place. Wonderful memories. Grateful thanks and love, Heather Jamieson”. On Thursday 25, Heather and the urn arrived at Sydney airport without any problems.

Temporarily she stays at Andrew’s house (son) in Sydney. On Friday, August 2, the Memorial Service will take place at Oakhill College DeLaSalle Brothers, Castle Hill Sydney cementary, where Bill’s ashes will go into “The Columbarian Wall. The Jamiesons have a very close affiliation with the brothers, who have organized all the service. Impressive surprise: Hamish's police colleagues formed a guard of honour. Heather is booked to go back to New Zealand on August 12, 2024.

Heather on August 3: “It was a very fitting tribute to Bill. He would have been well pleased”.

Vrijthof concerts 2018 and 2019.

Adele Geritzen (lives in Italy) on Facebook, August 3, 2024. “R.I.P. Jennifer Moore. We have lost another great fan of André Rieu. On 2nd August I received the news from Jennifer’s son, that she died ‘peacefully’ that morning. She was 80 years old. She was English, and lived in Surrey. She leaves behind her husband Colin, her two sons and four grandchildren. Many who went to Maastricht over the years, and to the UK concerts would have spotted her. She was rather unmissable. A tall blond lady, always immaculately dressed and a lovely smile. I first noticed her in 2012 at the concert at the O2 in London, I don’t remember which year she actually ‘found’ Andre, probably in 2009. Anyhow she attended many of the London concerts, and every year to Maastricht, where very often she took the VIP-arrangements. 2019 was their last year. Thereafter 2020 & 2021 were the covid years ( ie. no concerts), but from 2022 she did not feel well enough to cope with the journey. She had survived breast cancer some years ago, but it was exactly one year ago that she told me she had been diagnosed with terminal cancer of the colon / bowels. A year of true misery. She was so courageous to go thru all the suffering and medical procedures. My deep friendship with Jennifer (Jen) started in January 2017, when she responded to a posting I had made re my own poor health. We had virtually daily contact via whatsapp / phone calls and meeting at the concerts. We talked about anything and everything, André of course (she used to keep me informed during the times I was not able to look at FB.) But we also discussed health, nutrition, family, all kinds of stuff. She was my rock. Any problem I had, I knew I could ask Jen’s advice, and visa versa. Eight years of constant contact. For me she became like the older, wiser sister I never had. But now she is dancing with the angels, she is free again, no more suffering. I will miss her dreadfully, she meant so much to me.

Burning a candle for Bill

August 2, 2024. In Memoriam: Jennifer Moore, UK

August 8, 2024 In Memoriam: Gill Webster, 71 (UK.) Hetty Garlick on FB: “I’m sure some of you will have met my sister Gill in Maastricht or at André’s concerts in the UK. I’m heartbroken to tell you that she passed away suddenly earlier this evening. Although she has been ill over the past year and had a very serious surgery a couple of months ago, her death is not connected to that, which is why it has come as a huge shock.” Pictures: Fan dinner and Fan picnic in 2014: Hetty, Sheila, Gill and John Webster. In 2016 they attended again the Vrijthof concerts in Maastricht.

Hetty: “Gill was diagnosed with bowel cancer last year. She had radiotherapy and then on 4 June this year she had a surgery. She was in theatre for eleven hours. That is how long the surgery took - eleven hours. The operation was huge. Three teams of surgeons were involved.She came through that well and the surgeons were pleased. She was told last week that no cancer was there. She was recovering really well. Sadly last night she had a catastrophic bleed on the brain. It was nothing to do with the cancer or the surgery. We are incredibly shocked as you can imagine. She was my baby sister. I loved her from the day she was born”.

Our sincere condolences go to Hetty, John and family.

May Gill rest in peace.