Dini van Ouwerkerk, 92, of Livingston, died at home on August 2, 2014. Born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands in 1921, she was the wife of Anton for 63 years. She was a clothing designer and expert seamstress prior to her marriage. Dini was trained as a classical violinist and enjoyed music throughout her life. She was deeply affected by the Nazi occupation of Holland during World War II, and the loss of many of her friends and neighbors. Dini immigrated to the U.S. with her family in the mid-1960s and settled in Livingston where she became involved in community service. Her many activities included co-leader for Girl Scouts, St. Barnabas patient volunteer, Planned Parenthood, the Community FoodBank of NJ in Hillside, the Horizon School, and knitting and crocheting hats, scarves and lap blankets for the Priscilla Circle of the Methodist Church. She was active in the Livingston Chapter of AARP, the Women’s Club, a book club at the local library, a quilting group, several Bridge groups, and the Essex and Union County hiking clubs. Dini was only able to complete her education through the 6th grade in Holland due to the Depression, however she completed her GED in the U.S. after learning English as her second language. She travelled extensively with her husband to five continents and enjoyed experiencing many other cultures. She was an avid supporter of arts and education, and of the Olympic Games, which she felt would promote greater understanding among citizens of the world. She will be greatly missed by her husband, Anton, her daughters and sons-in-law, Marja van Ouwerkerk, Mark Kubinak, Petra and Mark Strickland, and her grandchildren, Dana and Cara Kubinak and Sean, Kevin, Erin, and Megan Strickland. There will be no funeral service as she donated her body to science, however a celebration of her life will be held on Friday, August 8, at 3 p.m. at the United Methodist Church at 290 West Hobart Gap Road in Livingston. Friends who wish to honor Dini’s memory may make a donation to the ALS Association of Greater New York at als-ny.org.
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