Louise Julia (Aertgeerts) De Vos, 98

January 10, 2023

Louise Julia (Aertgeerts) De Vos, 98, of Mennonite Home, Lancaster, PA and formerly of Montville, NJ was born in Paterson, NJ on June 7, 1924. She was the daughter of Belgian immigrants Joseph and Mary (Buyse) Aertgeerts of Hawthorne, NJ.

Louise graduated from Hawthorne High School and attended Drake College of Business in Elizabeth, NJ. In 1946, she married Kors (Cornelius) De Vos after he returned from overseas service in WWII. Together they raised two sons, and while Cornelius built a greenhouse and nursery business in Clifton, Louise assisted her father in constructing a new house for her young family in Pompton Plains. She worked as a lifeguard and taught swimming and lifesaving at the YMCA. Later, Louise enjoyed several years serving as a preschool teacher.

In her spare time, Louise was a voracious reader and crossword puzzler. She was also an accomplished fiber artist, but her true passion was travel. Louise was issued her first passport as a toddler so she could accompany her mother on a ship returning to Belgium. Throughout her life, Louise never tired of making plans for the next travel adventure. In 2006, while in their 80s, Louise and Cornelius moved from New Jersey to the Mennonite Home Communities in Lancaster and enjoyed many years there together as residents of Woodcrest Villa.

Louise is survived by her two sons: Jerry (Valerie) De Vos of Sarasota, FL and Neal (Dawn) De Vos of Salinas, CA; two grandsons: Jeffrey (Allison) De Vos of Sparta, NJ and Joshua (Erika) De Vos of Clifton, NJ; and three great grandchildren: Morgan, Henry, and Nicholas. She is predeceased by her husband, her parents, and her brothers: Jerome (Elsie) Aertgeerts of Ormond Beach, FL and Charles Aertgeerts of Washington, DC.

Final inurnment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA where she will be laid to rest alongside her husband and partner in life for more than 70 years.

The De Vos family wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff at the Mennonite Home for the loving care that Louise received during her stay. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation in Louise’s name to Mennonite Home Communities Benevolent Care (2001 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster, PA 17601; https://www.mennonitehome.org/giving/). If you wish to send an online condolence or favorite memory you may leave a message at https://www.snyderfuneralhome.com/.