Family and friends
Lovingly remembered and never forgotten. My brother and I welcome family, friends and others whose lives our mother touched to share their memories.
Join Memories to request access to contribute your cherished photos, videos, and stories to Simone's memorial with others who loved them.
Join MemoriesGregory Curley Our Mum. If she only knew then what a well travelled life awaited her. (It's clear to see where our daughters get their looks from!)
Gregory Curley Ever the studious little one. Mum went to a Montessori school when she was around five years old. When she moved back to Rotterdam in 2017 she ended up living two blocks from that very same school.
Gregory Curley In high school, Mum was the head of the student council.
Gregory Curley Stunning high school photo of Mum. She really was a knock out in those days.
Gregory Curley A free spirit in the south of France.
Gregory Curley Wedding day in Rotterdam. Soon after Mum would move to Canada, where it became home for twenty-five years.
Gregory Curley Dad and Mum getting married in Rotterdam.
Gregory Curley Welcoming the first little one into the world.
Gregory Curley We meant the world to our Mum... and she still means the world to us.
Gregory Curley Talking to the swans along Kralingse Plas (Rotterdam). This is where our Mum grew up. She ended up moving back here in the summer of 2017 and both Dan and I had the chance to visit on several occasions. It's one of the nicest parts of Holland.
Gregory Curley Any excuse to get out and enjoy the fall in Canada — arguably Mum's favourite time of year ever since she moved there.
Gregory Curley Welcome! No one was a stranger when they came through our Mum's door — everyone was made to feel right at home.
Gregory Curley One of many European road trips we'd take during the summer. This was taken in Bruges.
Gregory Curley The street our Mum lived in Apeldoorn had annual 'straatfeesten' (street parties). Here she is getting ready to go out and attend.
Gregory Curley Mum and Dan had very opposite characters and she really got a kick out of teasing him every so often. Here they are on the beach in Scheveningen.
Gregory Curley The first time Mum came to visit me in South Korea I took her to Boracay in The Philippines. Needless to say, she had a great time — particularly on Puka Beach.
Gregory Curley Waitin' on a plane at Boracay's Godofredo P. Airport in The Philippines.
Gregory Curley Enjoying the crystal-clear waters of Boracay's White Beach. The only thing that would lure Mum out were the fresh mangoes and Jonah's fruit shakes!
Gregory Curley Christmas dinner in Seoul. Dan and Dave (Mugs) were working in Korea at the time so we all took Mum out to celebrate with friends.
Gregory Curley One of my favourite photos of our Mum. When she smiled, she really lit up the world around her.
Gregory Curley Winding down in Jimbaran, Bali.
Gregory Curley On Mum's second visit to South Korea I took her to Bali. She couldn't stop talking about how warm and welcoming the Balinese were.
Gregory Curley Meeting the locals at the Korean Folk Village.
Gregory Curley It was a long flight over to South Korea but Mum was a trooper and had a chance to see for herself what I was experiencing from the other side of the world.
Gregory Curley Mum always shared a fondness for France. In 2006 she took Dan and I on a trip through Provence. We visited degustations (wine tasking cellars) in Bordeaux, explored Orange and Dignes-les-Bains, among other highlights. This photo was taken on her 59th birthday.
Gregory Curley Our Mum lived for 'gezeligheid'. She took great pride in making her home feel cozy and welcoming for all who entered in. That sense of security and belonging is something that will stay with me forever.
Gregory Curley If there's one thing we did during every visit to Holland, it was eating poffertjes (traditional Dutch 'mini' pancakes) at our usual spot in Apeldoorn. We dropped in so often that the restaurant owner knew us by name and pretty much our entire life story (our Mum had a disarming way of making people feel very comfortable and candid around her).
Gregory Curley Mum was fiercely proud of her Dutch roots — she always loved playing the tour guide whenever we would visit her in Holland. This was taken in Gouda on a sightseeing trip she had planned for myself, Dan and Matilda.
Gregory Curley Despite disliking its harsh winters, our Mum truly loved Canada. This was taken in Algonquin Park during Dan and Matilda's weekend wedding celebration.
Gregory Curley Summer at Algonquin Park. Mum really loved lakeside living.
Gregory Curley With Mum at Dan's wedding.
Gregory Curley Dan and Mum during his weekend wedding celebration at Algonquin Park.
Gregory Curley Mum with Aunt Jenn, Uncle Jim and Dan.
Gregory Curley Stephanie and Janet really welcomed our Mum into the family with open arms, as though she had always been a member.
Gregory Curley A very proud grandmother. Here she is in Ottawa with little Penelope Simone Curley.
Gregory Curley Proud Daddy, prouder Grandma.
Gregory Curley While Mum was in Korea for our wedding, Min and I took the family and some friends down to Busan for a little road trip. Here she is with Dave's Dad leaving the restaurant with a belly full of delicious crab.
Gregory Curley Mum's third visit to Seoul was to attend our wedding. This was taken on a day trip to Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Gregory Curley Mum and Min got along well right from the beginning. The fact that they were so eager to swap stories and traditions made the visits that much more memorable.
Gregory Curley I still look back in disbelief at just how lucky we were weather-wise on the day of our wedding. We had planned for the entire ceremony to be held outdoors in a palace garden at the base of a mountain. Min and I woke up to rain and were growing increasingly worried as it wasn't show any signs of stopping. But it did — miraculously for the entire ceremony before starting again at the end of the after-party — and it let me share this precious moment with Mum.
Gregory Curley Great shot of Dad and Mum at our wedding.
Gregory Curley Adriana Leah's first visit to Holland. She was a little over three months' old and quite eager to chat with Oma!
Gregory Curley Oma and Adriana Leah saying goodbye at Ottawa Airport after having spent Christmas together.
Gregory Curley It was a proud moment for Mum to see Penelope and Annabelle getting their Dutch citizenship in Ottawa.
Gregory Curley You were such a gentle soul, Mum. Though you were taken from us far too soon, your wonderful spirit will live on for generations.
Gregory Curley Dan and Mum making a required stop at 't Pannekoekhuis in Hoenderloo.
I met Simone in the late 60’s when I was about 17 years old. Simone was the girl next door to my new girlfriend Atie Versteeg, my love since these days and still my wife for nearly 50 years. So now you have got a very global time schedule of my relationship with Simone. In those early years Simone was preparing her marriage with Barth Curley, whic...
Simone, mon amie de toujours...Nos mères, Beppy Binkhorst et Marcelle Fossier, nos marraines respectives, avaient une profonde affection l'une pour l'autre. Elles s'étaient liées d'amitié en 1943 dans les camps de concentration de Vught, en Hollande et de Ravensbrück en Allemagne. Elles ne se sont jamais quittées, se sont soutenues dans des circons...
Tom van Ingen Simone and I met about two years ago. At the time I had a side-job as a driver for elderly people in the apartment complex in Rotterdam where she lived. Her neighbor had advised her to give me a call to do some grocery shopping together, as Simone was not so confident anymore to drive herself. From the first moment we met, there was this instant connection between us. She smiled so lovely and we immediately had fun together. It’s the typical smile we all knew her for. Although I started to help her with grocery shoppings initially, I became her personal assistant rather quickly. I drove her to the hospital, advised her about certain purchases, helped to book plane tickets, recommended (healthy) food options and provided nutrition facts, we bought electronics together and I helped her to improve her understanding of digital services. I noticed she truly enjoyed being together and she was always so happy to see me. Sometimes she didn’t feel well but she told me how nice it was just to see me and have a nice chat. Although it initially started as work, it never felt that way. After grocery shopping and paying me for assistance, she treated me with deep fried fish (kibbeling) or other quintessential Dutch snacks like ‘kroketten’ at her apartment. No matter how hard I tried to resist her offer, she simply pressed on until I would finally give in... When enjoying the food, we would always have a nice chat about life. I told her about my experiences and issues and so did she. Also, she often showed me pictures of her family. She loved her grandchildren so much (“their eyes, so beautiful Tom! And they are so smart!”). We developed a true friendship. We could talk for hours, easily. Being with Simone on a weekly basis became my routine in life. Sadly, Simone had to visit the hospital more often during last year. Although these hospital visits were no fun, I tried to make her laugh to make her staying there just a bit more bearable. This behavior became so normal to us that other people in the waiting rooms of the hospital started to engage in our (funny) conversations. People always thought that Simone and I were grandma and grandson. In the beginning, we tried to explain our friendship to other people. However, we noticed that it was too hard for people to understand. Simone decided that it would be better to call me her grandson to avoid any awkward moments. That was fine with me, in fact I couldn’t feel more honored. In a way, Simone really became my grandma, as she stuffed me with all those Dutch delights and because she trusted me like a grandson. For example, if she didn’t feel so well, she gave me the money to do the shoppings for her. The trust she had in me has been very valuable to me. With the loss of Simone, I’ve lost a really good friend. A very social and lovely friend. A beautiful grandma, a wonderful person. I will miss her sense of humor, our grocery shopping, her phone calls and our deep conversations. We had a friendship that might have been strange to others, but not to us. I will miss my ‘grandma’ Simone. Rest in piece. I’ll never forget you. Tom
Simone was mijn buurmeisje van de Honingerdijk in Rotterdam Kralingen. Zij kwam, als enig kind, graag bij ons thuis op nummer 19 over de vloer, waar het met zes opgroeiende kinderen altijd een drukke boel was. Mijn moeder vond dat prima, want eentje meer of minder…. Wij kwamen als kinderen ook altijd graag bij de oom en tante van nummer 15. Tante...
Miss you a lot.
Thinking of you Simone. You gave the best hugs and your kindness and generosity will always be remembered. I see so much of you in your sons and your grandchildren. Your love nurtured a beautiful family. xo
Gregory Curley Our dear mother, Simone Marcelle Binkhorst, passed away in Ottawa on Wednesday, October 30th, 2019. She was a beautiful, loving and caring soul who instilled in both of us the values of integrity and respect for others. Daniel and I have arranged for a celebration of life to be held on Monday, March 2nd, 2020 at Hoflaankerk in Kralingen, Rotterdam. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made out to the Ottawa Heart Institute. Following the ceremony, we will honour our mother’s wish to have her ashes scattered in the southern French village of Estoublon where her parents were also laid to rest. We would like to extend our deepest, heartfelt thanks to the incredibly supportive medical staff at The Ottawa Civic Hospital for their kindness, compassion and for making life as comfortable as possible for our mother in her final moments.
Rest In Peace, mom
You were such a kind, generous and sweet person in my memory. I still remember your welcoming smile at Greg and Min's wedding and also your warm heart when I was at a difficult point in my life. I still remember your lasagna and white wine we'd shared. Such happy moments. I wish I had more time to express my respect to you but life is too short. B...
May my condolences bring everyone comfort and may my prayers ease the pain of this loss. I remember Simone with her beautiful smile and a warm heart. Back in the time when I was in London, I visited her place with Min and Greg and she offered us such a cozy place with so many gifts. While I was staying there, I had an amazing time and Simone cooked...
Gregory Curley Simone en ik scheelden qua leeftijd ongeveer 1 jaar. Zij was van 1947 en ik van 1948. Toen ze nog klein was stond ze wel bij ons (Honingerdijk nummer 19) op de stoep en vroeg “Mag ik met Anneke spelen” ? Zo hebben we veel herinneringen met elkaar. Ook een keer “kappertje spelen”: Simone deed heel professioneel suiker in mijn haar, water er over en knippen maar. Mijn moeder ontzet tegen tante Bep “Oh Bep, wat heeft dat kind met Anneke’s haar gedaan?!’ Of een andere keer, dat ik nog wel eens heen en weer moest lopen om wat boodschappen te doen voor mijn moeder. Simone zeer ad rem “Tante To,, mijn moeder maakt altijd eerst een boodschappenljstje …” We trokken veel met elkaar op, gingen naar dezelfde school . . ze kwam mij dan wel ophalen. . . Door huiselijke omstandigheden (scheiding van mijn ouders) mocht ik ook met tante Bep, Oom Aad en Simone mee op vakantie naar Frankrijk. Met z’n vieren in een Eend met bagage en al – wat er al niet in paste – als het kon ging het dak open, en zaten Simone en ik wel op de rugleuning van de achterbank, met onze hoofden boven het dak uit. Tante Bep bestudeerde de kaart hoe we moesten rijden. Daar bewaar ik hele goede herinneringen aan. Hoe liefdevol ik opgevangen werd en ik beschouwd werd als een halfzusje van Simone. Altijd was ik welkom op Honingerdijk nummer 15. Met veel liefde en respect denk ik daaraan terug. Andersom was Simone ook hartelijk welkom bij ons en kwam vaak langs op nummer 19. Later zijn onze wegen wat uit elkaar gegaan, maar de draad werd weer opgepakt. Toen ze in Apeldoorn woonde heb ik wel een keer bij haar gelogeerd. Ze was altijd heel hartelijk. Nadat ik getrouwd was zijn mijn man en ik een paar keer bij haar op bezoek geweest. Ze wist sfeer te creeren en het gezellig te maken. De eerste of een van de eerste Kerstkaarten was altijd van Simone. In de Louise de Colignylaan zijn we door omstandigheden helaas niet langs geweest. Het is verdrietig en zo onverwacht dat het allemaal zo snel af moest lopen. Met respect en liefdevolle herinnering aan Simone. Anneke Veldhuysen-van Roon
Gregory Curley Mum's obituary that ran in The Ottawa Citizen on Saturday, January 11th, 2020.
Gregory Curley Mum is now resting peacefully in Estoublon.
Gregory Curley Mum, you radiated a warmth that was so disarming and uplifting. It's been a year since you passed and your loss is still deeply felt. Yet, despite your absence, your spirit remains — and will forever remain — very much in our hearts.
Gregory Curley Happy 74th, Mum. Your presence is still so warmly felt. Love always, Greg, Min & Adriana.
Gregory Curley It's been two years, Mum, and you're still so dearly missed.
Gregory Curley Happy Birthday, Mum. Your loss still leaves us with a wordless sadness, but we know you are now free from pain and exploring eternal freedom. "In the spirit world, we are beings of light. That is our true nature, which is why we do not carry any of our human suffering into the afterlife."