Flip Vandersluis

Flip Vandersluis, a well-known contractor in Blenheim passed away on Monday March 6, 2017 at the age of 79 years. Flip was born in Lollum Friesland, Netherlands on May 26, 1937 to the late Renze & Hotske (Nydam) Vandersluis. It was in Blenheim, on March 14, 1959 that he married his sweetheart Marie Furman and began a lifetime of memories that would last for over 50 years when Marie passed away in 2009. Flip and Marie were the proud parents of six children; Rick & Cathy Vandersluis, Rob Vandersluis, Bonnie & Chris Delargy, Laura & David Huffman, Wendy & Larry Smith and Philip & Tracey Vandersluis. Their family grew to include eleven grandchildren Cameron Vandersluis, Alexander Vandersluis, Ryan & Amanda Delargy, Sean & Erica Delargy, Samantha Delargy, Shelby Huffman, James Huffman, Craig & Kym VanGassen, Brandon & Nikki VanGassen, Nathan Vandersluis and Nicholas Vandersluis as well as eight great-grandchildren Blake, Jayden, Grady, Max and Sophia VanGassen and Harper, Renn and Sutter Delargy. He was predeceased by his granddaughter Ashley Marie VanGassen.

Flip was one of fourteen children and is survived by his brother Mike Vandersluis and his sisters Irene Wolting and Sadie Postma. He was predeceased by his sisters Louise VanDyke, Gertie Wagner and Wietske Hamberg and by his brothers Klaas, Michel, Friedrich, Cornelus, Otto, Eise and Henry Vandersluis.

In keeping with Flip’s wishes, cremation has taken place. Family and friends are invited to the Blenheim Community Funeral Home on Friday where visitation will be held from 2 – 4 and 7 – 9 p.m. A Funeral Service for Flip will be held in Trinity Anglican Church on Saturday March 11, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. Friends wishing to make a memorial donation are asked to consider Trinity Anglican Church or the London Health Sciences Foundation.

Flip’s family wishes to thank Dr. Martha Clendenning, the staff of the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance and the staff of Victoria Hospital in London for the wonderful care and compassion that was given to our father, grandfather and great-grandfather. That meant so much to us.