Verheyen

(submitted by Jean Janes)

John Verheyen flew from Noord Brabant, Holland as a 20 year old, in 1953. With seven siblings the prospects of farming on 30 hectares in Holland were limited. His sponsor in Canada was his cousin, Chris Van Loon.

John worked in tobacco and sugar beets. Later he worked on the construction of the interprovincial pipeline which takes oil through Warwick Twp. By 1964 he was an operating engineer.

In 1954 John met Josie Geerts, the daughter of his next door neighbour. He and Josie were married in 1959.

In 1961 the Verheyens bought a 100 acre farm at Lot 15, Con. 3 NER. They farmed there until 1993, when they retired to a new house at 6210 Warwick Village Rd. in Warwick Village. They have three daughters.