B6 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 10, 1997 Explosive start to marriage Couple survived two train bombings and dodged German soldiers during a tumultuous courtship. A STOLEN KISS behind a tree sparked a mariage that’s now lasted 50 years. Chris and Ali Troelstra celebrated those 50 years last month. The couple was married in Holland on Nov. 12, 1947, They moved to Terrace in 1954. Chris and Ali met in the town of Hoensbrock in late 1943, Ali was working at a children’s home and had the job of bringing the chil- dren's shoes to the shoe repair shop. Chris happened to be the shoe repair man. On one oc- casion he didn’t have the right change for Ali so they had to go to his house to get change. There Ali met Margjie, Chris’s sister, who invited her to come aver some time. Adi became friends with Margjie and her other sister. They would often go out as a group, and Chris would come along. On one outing they were playing a Dutch version of hide and seek Chris grabbed Ali’s hand, pulled her behind a tree and gave her a kiss. Ali recalls wondering why he could kiss so well since he claimed be hadn’t had any previous girlfriends. The courtship continued and Ali kept the job of delivering shoes to the shop. Leather was rationed in those days but Ali was able to get the shoemaker to take in more shoes than anyone Afler an eventful trip which included having the bike taken away by German soldiers, walk- ing for two days, stay- ing overnight with strangers, and waiting a week to get a train ticket, Ali’s train was bombed. ron By 1954, por. as : eos Chris, first worked; “at the... Poble mill and then else seemed able to, In August of 1994, Ali was preparing to leave Hoensbrock to begin nurse’s training in Utrecht, a city near her home town of Door, Chris brought her to the train station in Sittard and just as they were buying her ticket the station was bombed. Fortunately they were not injured, but rail transporta- tion was now not possible, Ali retumed to Hoensbrock and went back to work. She was happy to slay! However her father was preparing to come and get her with a bicycle built for two. After an eventful trip which included having the bike taken away by German soldiers, walking for two days, slaying overnight with strangers, and waiting 4a week to get a train ticket, AJi’s train was bombed. She had to hide in a ditch, but was fortunately able to get back home tw Doom, and then onto Ultrecht. HERE ‘N. THERE. YVONNE MOEN The city of Ultrecht was finally liberated on May, 1945, All this time Ali had not had any contact with Chris. They wrote letters, but neither received them until nine months after they were written. After Holland was liberated Chris began regu- larly hitchhiking up to Doom to see Ali. In the fall, 1945, Ali quit nursing. She and Chris de- , cided to get married. How- ever, they didn’t have a place to live together, and this proved a difficult ob- stacle. The couple finally became officially engaged in May, 1946, In £947, Margjie, Chris's sister, announced she too was getting married. That meant she'd be moving out of the Troelstra family home, opening up a place for Chris and Ali io live. Ali would become the housekeeper for Chris’s family. Finally oa Nov. 12, 1947 the couple was married. Three daughter later, Chris and Ali left Holland and took a 20-hour flight to Montreal. Once in Montreal the fam- ily boarded the train for their new home in Terrace. Chris had only $105 for the trip. They arrived here on Feb. eventually opencd up his own shoe repair shop on the northwest comer of Kalum and Lazelle in 1955, Later he moved bis shop to a more convenient location on Greig Ave., across the street from the Terrace hotel and stayed there until he retired in 1978. The Troelstras had three more children, born in the old Red Cross hospital. Peter, Cheryl and Elizabeth joined Berta, Anaka and Audrey. All grew up in Terrace, doing their schooling here. The family was reunited this summer in Summer- land, and then on Nov. 11 three daughters were able to attend the 50th anniversary party of their parents. Ali’s sister Beg Hospes came all the way from Hol- Jand for the anniversary party, and her sister-in-law Annie Varneveld from Dun- can was also there. Congratulations Chris and Ali Troelstra and may you have many more years of happiness. Canadian Legion Branch 13 Royal raised. The monies into a public assisting local Shank You To the Terrace & Area residents for the tremendous support in making the 1997 Poppy Campaign a success. There was over $15,000 on Wheels, residents in need. raised is put trust fund for charities, Meal and local CHRIS AND ALJ Troelstra celebrated 50 years of marriage in November. The couple's courtship sur- vived the Second World War in Holland. ‘Sunday. 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