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Local Items: Catholic cemetery in Bonaire
Bonaire Talk: Local Items: Archives: Archives 2005 - 2006: Archives - 2005-06-01 to 2005-07-14: Catholic cemetery in Bonaire
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian Williams (BonaireTalker - Post #22) on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 2:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi

If there is anyone there on the island who knows the name of and where the Catholic cemetery is on the island is , please email me. I am told there is only only one Catholic cemetery on the island. I am looking for someone on the island who has a digital camera and internet/email access that would be willing to photograph a specific memorial for me.

thanks in advance.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #222) on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 4:52 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Brian,

I am in the possibility to do so, and I also think I know at least one catholic cemetery on Bonaire, it is in Kralendijk, near the Kaya Korona, as far as I know. Don't know the name, but will take a look tomorrow. Tell me what you are looking for, and in what resolution you want to have the pics. (max. 7.2MP) If your mailbox can handle it. You can do this through this board, or through a private message to me.
I hear from you.

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #25) on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 5:22 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie,
Brian and I have been communicating about his friend's death here. I am not able to help him with the photo, so bless you for doing it!!
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #338) on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 10:50 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

There's also a Catholic cemetery in Rincon, you pass it if you go to the Lourdes shrine.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #225) on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 9:18 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I will first look at the cemeteries in Kralendijk, and if I do not find the memorial there, I will go to Rincon later. Does someone know the address of the person that is responsible for the cemeteries in Kralendijk, so I could ask on which place the person could be burried?

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ruth van Tilburg (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #340) on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 9:47 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie, ask the Priest from St. Bernard (the big church)--I think there's usually a small volunteer group from the church that tends the cemetery grounds-maybe one of them will know. (FYI, the smaller cemetery, between Hospital & Napa, is the Protestant one).

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #26) on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 10:41 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie,
Sue was a tourist who died while scuba diving, so she is unlikely to have been buried in Rincon. I'm sure you will find her in one of the Kralendijk cemeteries.
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #226) on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 8:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I was on the cemetery today, for about two hours, but couldn't find the memorial Brian is looking for, actually, it looks like an impossible mission, but i will retry another day this week.
You can imagine the graves that hasn't been taken care of for about 20 years, not much left over of it. I found four cemeteries, one of them not-catholic. About 60 to 70% of the memorials don't have a name on it, or the name is unreadable anymore.
I tried to go to the pastor of the catholic church, but couldn't find him. Will try again tomorrow.
If someone has any idea of possibilities to find the position of a specific memorial, I would be pleased to get some help...
Tomorrow I will post some pics of how some memorials look like, on Bonaire.
I am quite disappointed, I thought this would be an easy job, but I don't give up yet...

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian Williams (BonaireTalker - Post #23) on Monday, March 7, 2005 - 10:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie, I appreciate very much the time and effort spent to try and locate the memorial of Sue Krenn. Under the circumstances however and as it was over 20 years, it may be an impossible task.

I will try to gain more specific information about the possible whereabouts of the memorial. Please do post any photos that you have of the area.

I would like to post here for anyone else reading this thread a tribute written this year for Sue, it was published on a local message board. It is about Sue and I would like to share it was everyone-
------------------------------------------------
Sue Krenn earned her life. Sue was a generous and kind woman who was passionate about her friends, her running community and her own running and training.

Sue gave to her friends by sharing workouts and competition with them, by socializing with them when the workouts were over, by remembering them with
gifts and letters from her travels all over the world. She gave to her running community by enthusiastically supporting her running peers, in part, by being the race director of the San Diego Track Club's 15K race. She gives to us who never knew her by her example of an ardent, consistent and
disciplined woman and runner.

Sue was passionate about training and trained with great vigor and focus. As a young woman, she began studying ballet and learned the discipline of a
training routine. She later became a rower and qualified as a member of the second string United States Olympic Rowing Team. Later still, she became a
runner and marathoner. Sue became a runner later in life than most others do who achieve what she did.

Sue trained hard. She joined Donna Gookin's training group for the first time one Friday afternoon. Donna remembers that Sue began her running career as a big and slow runner. Sue had been rowing a lot and had the physique to prove it. Dale Sutton challenged her to an arm wrestling match that afternoon and, though he won that contest, he did not win many more contests with Sue. The run that day was rainy and muddy - ten miles of mud. Sue persisted; she was going to do ten miles. She did.

Donna suggested to Sue that Sue begin her training as a runner with the beginner or intermediate runners of Donna's running group, but Sue was determined to train with the advanced runners. She would start the workouts with the faster runners, would get left behind but would keep on running hard anyway. Her enthusiasm for the workouts carried over into the group's post workout dinners in Tia Juana.

Sue gradually became a faster runner and began winning races. Bill Siebold introduced Sue to Dr. Hal Goforth. Bill brought Sue to Hal's house so that
Hal could show her how to use glue (silicon) on her running shoes to get extra mileage out of them. Hal and Sue began talking about running. Since Hal
was running and racing well and was pursuing his education in Exercise Physiology, they thought that they were a good match for training and racing
together and so they began.

Dr. Goforth remembers that Sue loved training. She trained with men because she could not find other women "who would train that hard or long and still
be fast enough. There were other women runners in San Diego at that time that were faster, but she was determined and believed in the methods we were using and followed my schedule to the T." Many days Sue would run between school and home to be sure that she got in enough mileage. Hal remembers, "We did heat training (before most runners even knew what it was). We did long runs (as did everyone) but we did a long tempo [run] every Saturday on a 1.5-mile loop course and learned even pacing at close to race level effort. We also did long intervals either on the roads or track. The whole schedule was progressive and, as we adapted to one level, we increased the distance [at which] we could hold the pace. There were at least five other runners at that time that would train together with this schedule. They all have done very well. Lorrie Dierdorf joined us and later qualified for the Olympic Trials. She and Sue both had PR Marathons of 2:38 which, in the late 70's and early 80's, was quite good."

During the time Sue was training with Dr. Goforth, she ran her best marathon time, 2:38, in placing third among the women competitors in the 1979 Boston
Marathon. Hal ran with her partway that day; they were right behind Joan Benoit and would catch Joan on the down hills, but would lose ground on the up
hills. Hal wanted Sue to have the experience of the final miles alone, so at the eleven-mile mark, he told her that she was on her own. He vividly
remembers finding her after the finish and how she ran up, hugged him, and started jumping up and down saying "I got third!"

Sue raced hard. In 1979, Sue ranked seventh in the US in the women's marathon. Kendall Webb ran in some races with Sue and remembers her "incredibly
hard and loud footsnap when her foot hit the ground with each stride". Sue ran marathons in San Francisco (1978), Boston (1979), Seoul, Korea (1982),
Vancouver, British Colombia (1982), and Venezuela (1984). She finished all of these marathons, except the one in Venezuela, in less than 3 hours. And
she was, for a time, the women's US national record holder at the 50K distance.

Sue was an enthusiastic supporter of her running community. She was a member of the San Diego Track Club and was the race director for the Track Club's
15K race that has been renamed in her memory.

Sue was a Spanish teacher and went to South America to teach. She hiked in the Andes and ran. In 1984 she competed in the Venezuela Marathon and placed
third among the women. A few days after running in that marathon, she wrote Dr. Goforth a card about having gone scuba diving off Bonaire Island in the
Dutch Antilles north of Venezuela. She went back there to dive again the day she wrote that postcard. Sue Krenn died during the dive.

Dr. Goforth said about Sue -
"There was only one Sue Krenn and I haven't seen anyone come close. She was compassionate, especially for children; she was overly generous (gave gifts
to everyone, from all over the world); she was tough as nails (she contracted amoebic dysentery in Columbia, she was chased by a man with a knife there
while she was on a run); she never compromised her morals or beliefs; she didn't think too highly of herself (she gave away all her trophies and awards);
she knew that hard work paid off and was willing to pay whatever the price to achieve a goal; she loved adventure and challenges (she traveled everywhere
she could (she once fell hundreds of feet in an avalanche in South America); she kept her friends in her life wherever she lived or traveled. She lived a
richer, fuller, more generous and memorable life in 34 years than 99.9999% of Americans will in their lifetime."

The race t-shirt for the Sue Krenn 15K has a silhouette of Sue on the front and a "No Wussies" symbol on the back. Dr. Goforth remembers when Sue would use the term "wussie" - "It was a comment she used when someone may say something about the workout suggesting fatigue or [disappointment with] the
conditions (i.e.,wind or rain). She would say "come on ... don't be a wussie!" So Hal put the word "WUSSIE" on the race t-shirt inside a circle with a diagonal line through it. Hal was the race director for the Sue Krenn 15K for ten years and one year, race day was a day of stiff winds and rain, and Donna Gookin said to him, "Sue is looking down on us and saying, "Come on … don't be wussies!"

On Saturday, you will run along a sparkling sea in the Sue Krenn 15K. You will be where Sue would be and is. You will be what she was, a runner, a
competitor, and a member of a running fraternity that is richer and fuller for the participation of us all. Thank you, Sue.

With sincere thanks to Dr. Hal Goforth, Donna Gookin, Dale Sutton, Brian Williams, and Kendall Webb.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #228) on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 9:22 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Brian, (and all other readers)

Here are some pics of graves on the biggest Bonaire Catholic cemetery. Just to give an idea. I hope you understand it is not easy to find an 20-year-old memorial.


kerkhof1

kerkhof2

kerkhof3.1 kerkhof3.2

kerkhof4


But I didn't give up yet.

I didn't have the possibility to go to the church today, to find the pastor. Probably tomorrow.
I will keep you informed.


Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #229) on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 9:27 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sorry, some problems, got kicked off
try again:

kerkhof1

kerkhof2

kerkhof3.2 kerkhof3.2

kerkhof4


Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Freddie Hughes (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5936) on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 9:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie send me the photos I think they are too big and I will resize them and then post them..
scubahb@optonline.net

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #230) on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 9:33 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I am quite sure i did it correct, I give it another try, otherwise I'll try again tomorrow

kerkhof1

kerkhof2

kerkhof3.1 kerkhof3.2

kerkhof4

Editing of the message didn't work also, although I tried within 2 minutes.

We'll see...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #231) on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 9:35 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

try again tomorrow.....

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #232) on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 9:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

No, they are not too big, (<35kB)

some server-problem, "the page cannot be found".

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Freddie Hughes (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5937) on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 9:41 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie try to empty your temporary internet cache that helps sometimes...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #233) on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 9:50 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Don't know where to find that temporary Internet-thing. I empty my temporary Internetfiles, every day..

Try again with smaller sized pics

kerkhof1

kerkhof2

kerkhof3.1 kerkhof3.2

kerkhof4

have a nice sleep, if it again doesn't work..

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Freddie Hughes (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5938) on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 9:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

let me give it a try Harrie,
PP
PP
P

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #234) on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 10:02 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Lots of "your image here"-messages, and also lots of pictures, but, thanks for the help, Freddie.

I still don't understand why my filesize says less then 50kB, and bonaireTalk doesn't take the pics.

But I will ask the big wizzard (Jake) tomorrow

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Freddie Hughes (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5939) on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 10:09 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

oops.. boy they took a while to get there!!! sorry for the double post Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter - NetTech (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5387) on Tuesday, March 8, 2005 - 11:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie,

Did you upgrade your firewall lately? If not, it's possible that the software for BT considers a "K" to be 1000 bytes, but in reality it is 1024 bytes. Shoot for a file size of 48KB and see if that works.

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian Williams (BonaireTalker - Post #24) on Wednesday, March 9, 2005 - 2:14 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks Harrie for posting the pictures. I can see it is a very difficult search. I am still trying to contact some people on my end who might know something about the location.
Brian.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #28) on Wednesday, March 9, 2005 - 6:25 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Brian,
Harrie should be able to learn from the priest or somebody else at the church the location of the grave. However, if the records can't be located, do you know if Sue was on Bonaire alone? And do you know where she was staying? Perhaps the hospital would have a record of what happened to the body? They must have released it to somebody. Or perhaps the moving tribute to Sue Krenn which you posted will ring a bell with a Bonaire Talker.
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #235) on Wednesday, March 9, 2005 - 9:51 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi,

Jake, I am using Norton Internet Security 2005 now, but next time I will go for filesizes of 48kB or less. Thanks for the advice!

Strange thing that happened yesterday (3 times) during the uploading of the files, was the following: normally you get a warning from BT when uploading that your filesizes are too big, and BT asks new (reduced) files. But now everything disappeared, and I got the Internet message "the page cannot be found", I had to log-in onto BT again, found my message posted completely without the pics, and couldn't edit it anymore, although I was in the 2-minute time-schedule.

Yes, Brian & Tish, I will try to contact the priest of the main church, if he knows more about the location of the memorial. I tried already 2 times, but nobody was in at that time. If he cannot help me, I will go to ask at the hospital. But this will take altogether some time, but who cares about some days, after 20 years?

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lisa Barclay (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #559) on Wednesday, March 9, 2005 - 10:29 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie, what a wonderful thing you are doing trying to help Brian out.

Brian, thank you for posting the information about what kind of person Sue was. She definitely made the world a better place.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #236) on Wednesday, March 9, 2005 - 11:14 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Lisa, just trying, but not successful yet...

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #29) on Wednesday, March 9, 2005 - 5:13 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie,
Clearly we are hampered by the fact neither of us is Catholic.
I will ask friends who attend that church if they can say when the priest can be reached or if they can ask the priest about Sue. Will let you know.
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #237) on Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 5:38 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Brian,

Finally some news from this side.

I spoke to the pastor today, wasn't so easy, he speaks only Spanish and Papiamentu, no English, no Dutch, and guess what languages I speak.....
But with hand and feet we understood each other, he was very friendly and helpful, and he made an appointment for me for tuesday with the person that is responsible for the cemetery, and is supposed to have access to the "archives", for what it can be worth.
So I will go there tuesday, you will have to wait till then.

I also spoke to several people who have more experience on Bonaire then I have, but they all pointed to the pastor. One person thinks it can also be possible to get some information at the "Burgerlijke Stand", (the Registrar's Office), I must say I doubt that, but I will go there when the responsible person for the cemetery cannot help me further.

So wait till you hear more of me.


Tish, if you find out more, please let me know too....

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian Williams (BonaireTalker - Post #25) on Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 5:59 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks Harrie
Hopefully the archives will have some useful information, with location references. I am still trying to contact some people here that might have answer's to Tish's questions. I will let you know what I can find out...
thanks again...
Brian

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #30) on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 6:36 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie and Brian,
I have learned from Bonaire's historian, Frans Boi, that he has a list of all the people who are responsible for the various cemeteries. So far he has not gotten back to me about this, but I will try to obtain the complete list in case the person in charge of the main Catholic cemetery says that Sue is not buried there.
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #238) on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 10:00 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Brian, and all the others!

I had my appointment with the person(s) that are responsible for the memorials on the catholic cemetery. They had made about 4 years ago a stock-taking of all the readable memorials on the cemetery. Sue's name is not on that list. They promised me to look in older papers of about 20 years ago if they can find anything in there. But that will take some time. I will keep them activated, if necessary.
The other ways to find out if and where her memorial could be, I will keep on hold, until this search leads to nothing. Step by step.

Meanwhile, Brian, if you can find more information on your side, it could be very helpful.

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian Williams (BonaireTalker - Post #26) on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 12:52 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie
thanks for taking the time for the search and the information you have provided. It seems probable that she is not in that particular cemetery. I have the names of about three people I am still trying to contact here on my end who might remember. As far as I have been able to find out, she may have been travelling alone which may make it much more difficult. I have learned of one person who may have recieved a postcard from her the day before her death. I am trying to contact him. I have not given up hope yet. I just need to find the right person on my end. This may take a couple more days, hopefully I will find some luck in my search. I'll post finding's on this when I have something. Thanks again for doing the search on your end. It is greatly appreciated here ...
Brian

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tami Lamb (BonaireTalker - Post #68) on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 1:05 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

This is such a touching story- please let us know how it ends...a person is not ever truly dead as long as they are remembered.....

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #50) on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 4:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie,
I still have not received the names of the people in charge of the other cemeteries, but if your effort to find a list which covers 1984 graves in the main Catholic cemetery proves futile, let me know and I will make sure to get those names to you.
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2002) on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 11:03 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie,

Have you talked to the dive ops active on Bonaire then?? Accidents were not common and should be remembered. Particularly the op she was diving with should have info. Don Stewart, Anrdé Nahr and Bruce Bowker were all there, I believe. One of them may be able to give you information.

Another search path could be the maker of monuments on/for Bonaire. They might have a record of making/placing a monument.

Do any of the Catholic Churches have a record of services for her??

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #239) on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 11:13 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Glen,

Ideas enough, but I would like to do it step by step, otherwise it will take too much time for me. There has been some contact with a dive-operator, you can read it in another thread already. I don't dive, and do not have any contacts there, so perhaps someone else could take care of that part? Actually, I still think I will get some answers form the caretakers of the catholic cemetery, but that will take time.

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Feldman (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1240) on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 11:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Are you sure that she was definitely buried in a Catholic cemetery? If she was travelling alone, it may not have been known that she was Catholic.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Glen Reem (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2003) on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 11:17 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I would have guessed also that the death would have been recorded at whatever is the 'Town Hall'. And a disposition of the body.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian Williams (BonaireTalker - Post #27) on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 11:55 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi everyone,
I got the information about Sue possibly being buried in the Catholic cemetery from one of the local dive operators who was on the island at the time. It was his best recollection, but I do not think we can say it is definite she was buried there. I am also not sure if she was travelling alone, or other circumstances. I think I am pretty close to contacting someone here however who can give me some more information on this, so please wait to hear from me...
thanks again to everyone.
Brian

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #52) on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 7:11 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Fyi, Everybody,
Another thread deals with this. Brian posted a notice that he wanted information about how Sue died. I replied that I would try to find out. I contacted Bruce Bowker, who remembered that it was thought she died of a heart attack. He is sure she died while diving.
Brian and I wrote each other e-mails outside of BT for a while about this and where she was buried. Bruce recalled that she was buried locally; the body did not go back to San Diego. He was sure of that, but a bit less sure of which cemetery.
Then Brian started this thread.
Hope that gets everybody up to speed.
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Randy P (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #298) on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 12:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi All,

Just a dumb question, but from my perspective as a former Funeral Director & Embalmer here in Chicago I have at least my 4th generation familiarity with the subject matter.

Are burials regulated in any manner on Bonaire? If they are, then the town registrar should be able to provide at least rudimentary info on a death/burial of such recent vintage. I presume it would not be hard to determine when the marathon was run in Venezuela in '84 which should at least give you a week or two window as to the exact date of death. I would be surprised if there large numbers of deaths per month on Bonaire so just how big a file could all of 1984 even be?

Just wondering. It is a compelling story and a fascinating history quest in any event.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #53) on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - 12:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi, Randy!
I have just heard privately from Brian that he feels he's close to getting more information in San Diego from a friend of Sue's.
I had suggested earlier that the hospital might have records about the person to whom they released the body.
However, those of us who live here have trouble getting accurate information about what is happening today, so we aren't hugely optimistic about locating records from 21 years ago.
Our town "registrar" does not deal with tourists. That office keeps records of residents.
But some record might exist somewhere. As I have mentioned earlier in this thread, I am seeking assistance from a local historian.
If Brian and Harrie strike out, we will continue to pursue finding records other than those regarding cemeteries.
Thanks for the suggestion :-)
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #56) on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 11:20 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Here's another update.
Brian and I have communicated more, and he is pursuing still more leads in San Diego.
I have written to a friend I believe participated in the marathon in Venezuela with Sue before she came to Bonaire. If he can recall the season of the year at least, that would give us a better fix on a date than just 1984.
And I have the name of a woman on the board of the Protestant Church who I hope can put me in touch with the person responsible for that cemetery.
Thanks to all of you who are trying to help with this search.
Randy, if you can find the exact date of that 1984 marathon, that would be super. Brian tried some time ago and came up empty. But we would love your help!!
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lisa Barclay (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #592) on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 11:39 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I think it's great that you are all working together to get the answers Brian is looking for. Keep up the good work and keep us updated on how it's going.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #57) on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 1:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

A friend has sent a message in Spanish to the Roadrunners Club of Caracas asking about the date of the marathon and also about Sue Krenn. Hope that produces something useful.
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Smits (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #258) on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 5:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Dec 9th, 1984 there was a marathon in Caracas.

http://www.arrs.net/HP_CcsMa.htm

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #59) on Thursday, March 17, 2005 - 5:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks so very much, Bob!!! :-)
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #65) on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 5:10 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

The board of the Protestant Church will have on its agenda tonight the grave of Sue Krenn. I wrote down all the information for a leading board member. She has also told me she will search for the grave herself. Her husband is buried in that cemetery, so she goes there frequently. She has all the contact information to reach me.
Harrie, are you on Bonaire, or did you go to Holland on Wednesday?
Harrie and Brian, there is a non-denominational cemetery near the others which I have only just learned about. If the Catholic and Protestant cemeteries do not contain Sue's grave, the other one has something to do with these words (organizations, perhaps?):
Nos Sosiegu
Onderlinge Tlulp
Harrie, does that mean anything to you?
We shall persevere!!
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Smits (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #261) on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 5:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Nos sosiegu means: we rest
Onderlinge Tlulp is probably Onderlinge Hulp
In insurance terms that would mean: Mutual insurance. In other words: we help each other

(Message edited by bpsmits on March 18, 2005)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #66) on Friday, March 18, 2005 - 8:36 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Bob,
Thanks very much for the translations.
Do you have any idea who I should contact on Bonaire to find Sue's grave if it is in this cemetery????
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Smits (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #262) on Saturday, March 19, 2005 - 6:13 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Tish,

I'm very sorry that I can't help you with that. Last yr was the first time that I visited Bonaire since 1980.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ray Lafleur (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 9:54 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I brought a plaque to Bonaire in 1986. I arranged with the Catholic priest to place the plaque in concrete. I always assumed it was the Catholic cemetery. To the best of my recollection the grave is toward the left of the entrance, less than 1/2 way back. Maybe you can line it up using the power lines and the satellite dish.

Susan died of a heart arythmia while diving the "Invisibles" dive site.

\image

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ray Lafleur (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 9:57 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

oops..

Here's the picture: grave-site

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Smits (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #267) on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 10:10 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Ray,

Welcome to the board and thank you for your input.
Are you related to Susan, if I may ask?

If you want to post an image, the name of image should be between brackets (you should actually type the "{" and the "}":

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ray Lafleur (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 10:17 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

oops... part II

sue-bonaire

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ray Lafleur (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 10:44 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I had not previously read the whole thread. It is touching to see how you all have taken your time to help in this search and rememberance.

Sue died on June 28, 1984. Her mother, father and sister attended her funeral at the Catholic church in town. She had been diving with Bruce Bowker's outfit.

I will try to find some other pictures to post that might show you who she was in life.


 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tami Lamb (BonaireTalker - Post #71) on Thursday, March 24, 2005 - 11:31 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ray how very thoughtful of you to give us Sue. Thank you. This thread has really touched me- how far we influence people. Sue was obviously a very special person. I am glad to get to meet her.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian Williams (BonaireTalker - Post #28) on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 12:05 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I would like to share with everyone a photo I have of Sue Krenn, I took it around 1978 or 1979 I think. She is shown here finishing a race at Balboa Park in San Diego, she is competing for the San Diego Track Club.
sue-4.jpeg

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Randy P (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #301) on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 11:06 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Rest in Peace Sue. You are immortal as long as there are people who remember you.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #70) on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 11:57 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

GRAVE FOUND!!
After spending a fruitless week talking to people connected with two of Bonaire's other cemeteries, I printed out the photos which Ray supplied and went with them this morning to the Catholic cemetery.
My friend Sharon and I quickly realized that Sue's grave must be completely covered by the tall, entwined weeds which have taken over the untended below-ground graves. We used the photos to establish where the grave must be. If you search for the grave, do not use the map; use the photos.
We have uncovered the grave sufficiently for the plaque to be visible if you are standing right beside it, but both it and the cross are otherwise completely obscured by the weeds.
If anybody has garden sheers and a few minutes to spare, please take them to the cemetery and cut away the weeds.
Also, do not wear sandals or flip flops like we did. Wear work boots or something similar to protect your feet from being bitten and scratched and stung. Long pants would also help. You will be wading through very deep weeds.
I will send Harrie more specific directions on how to find the grave so he can photograph it.
Thanks to everyone who has encouraged us in our search! Finally locating the plaque gave me quite a thrill.
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gail Thomas (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #558) on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 8:07 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for all of your perseverence. I have throughly enjoyed reading this thread, following the mystery, and learning about this gal who had such faithful friends!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ray Lafleur (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 10:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Attached are some pictures of Sue in the late 70s.
From the top: US Women's Marathon Team in Germany, Camping in Colorado, Soeul Korea Women's Marathon,
Night before US Women's 50K Championship (Won and Set US Record),Kauai Hawaii Vacation, Finish of Pike's Peak Marathon (14,400 ft. elev.) and Skiing in Mammoth Lakes, CA.

These are pictures from another life-time, but they seem like only yesterday. She was a larger than life person that touched everyone she met.

sue pics

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #240) on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 7:56 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi all,

I wasn't on BT for nearly two weeks, because I was in the Netherlands, and didn't want to post that openly on BT, you never know who is reading this, and looking for an unattended house.
I need my time to read all the posts and also several mails I got, and I will go this morning first to the appointment with the people that take care of the cemetery (I made an appointment for that two weeks ago), but probably I can find the statue with all the information now. Today or tomorrow I will make the pictures Brian asked for,send them in high/resolution directly, and also post them low-res here for all the people interested in this thread.

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #71) on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 10:26 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi, Harrie!
Welcome home!
I doubt that the person you are meeting this morning will be able to help you, so be sure to take the photos, especially the one with the white satellite dish and the telephone pole. And take the directions which I e-mailed to you.
There is no "statue." There is nothing visible above ground at all, but I pulled away the weeds enough that you will see the grave when you are right at it.
I look forward to your photos, and it's been a pleasure working with you on this project! :-)
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Lisa Barclay (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #598) on Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 10:36 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tish, that is great news. I am so glad the grave is located. Harrie, Tish and everyone else who helped, you all make a great team.

Ray and Brian, Sue was a beautiful women inside and out and I am sure her spirit is just as beautiful. I am glad that her grave has been found. I have enjoyed watching this all unfold. Thank you for sharing some of her life with us.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #241) on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - 4:56 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi everybody!

Due to unforeseen and unexpected activities in my house, I didn't make it yet to go for the pictures, but I will do tomorrow or the day after that. The caretakers of the cemetery also gave me some instructions, and told me it was grave number A142. But I will find it.

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #75) on Thursday, March 31, 2005 - 12:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi, Harrie!
The grave number A142 will not help you. There are no signs on rows of graves, and nearly all the graves carry no numbers. Just take the directions I e-mailed to you.
When you are standing at the grave looking towards Flamingo TV, the grave in front and to the left does carry a number on it: A121. But that is the only useful nearby number.
Good luck!! Can't wait for your photos. :-)
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #242) on Saturday, April 2, 2005 - 3:31 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Everybody!

Finally I made the pictures, and here they are.

I made 18 pics, and am sending them directly to Brian by e-mail. I will post most of them also here on BT. Sorry for the bad quality, but BT doesn't allow me to post larger files then 50kB. The pics i sent to Brian are of better quality.

Thanks to the good description of Tish, the grave was easy to find, (thanks Tish). Someone cleaned the surroundings already a bit (thanks for that).

If someone is interested in the original-quality-pictures, give me an e-mail through the board, and I will send the pics you want.


entree
This is the entrance of the catholic cemetery, opposite of the original main-entrance at Kaya Korona.

hoofdpad
The main walkway through the cemetery

kruis
The big cross, about in the middle of the cemetery

omgeving 2
The surroundings of Sue's memorial, to the right.

omgeving 3
The surroundings of Sue's memorial, to the left.

graf 3 graf 4
The surroundings of Sue's memorial.





More to come

Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #243) on Saturday, April 2, 2005 - 3:43 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

The second part of the pictures of Sue's memorial.

graf 1
Sue Krenn's memorial on the catholic cemetery of Bonaire

steen 3

steen 2

steen 1 steen 4

grafplaat
The memorial plate.



Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #244) on Saturday, April 2, 2005 - 3:57 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

And finally the old pictures I received from Brian, opposite to the new situation.
Left is old (20 years ago) and right is new (yesterday).

suekrenn-1 oud suekrenn-1 nieuw


suekrenn-2 oud suekrenn-2 nieuw


suekrenn-3 oud suekrenn-3 nieuw




Thanks to all the people who helped looking for her burial-ground, and all the tips we got in this search. We managed it, and could make Brian happy.


Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #245) on Saturday, April 2, 2005 - 4:04 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Oops!

For some dutchies left is on the top, and right is down.......


Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian Williams (BonaireTalker - Post #29) on Saturday, April 2, 2005 - 6:13 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie

thanks for posting all of the pictures, and taking them in such a way as to make the memorial easy to find.

The memorial may have remained uncovered for quite some time - and impossible to find, but
thanks to everyone involved here it is assuring to know the memorial is still there and it's exact location.

I hope I can get back to Bonaire in a year or so and am able to pay a visit to the memorial.

We appreciate all the work you did on this.

thanks again
Brian

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Smits (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #271) on Saturday, April 2, 2005 - 6:19 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

You did a great job Harrie. So did everyone in contributing in this post in search of the grave.
We truly are a "special community"

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Babs (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #8258) on Sunday, April 3, 2005 - 12:06 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

This was a truly awesome effort and very touching to see so many come together to remember someone! I have enjoyed the hunt and the stories! Thanks for sharing it on this site!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #77) on Sunday, April 3, 2005 - 1:07 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie,
Thanks for all the great photos!
Did you clear away the weeds? If not, who did? When I found the grave, it was entirely covered by very deep and intertwined weeds and could not be seen at all.
Who cleared away the weeds? Thank you, whoever you are!!!
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Harrie Cox (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #246) on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - 10:04 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi,

I saw the caretakers of the cemetery today, and they told me that it was them, who cleared away the weeds for the pictures. Thanks for that, last part of the mystery solved.

It is the "Hermandad San Bernardo".

BTW, I do not promise, but I made up my mind to go and clean away the weeds once or twice a year, as long as I can do so. Sue Krenn's grave has become something special to me.


Harrie

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kelly Baum (JATCCM) (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2520) on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - 10:40 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie, thank you so much for doing this. Those pictures posted of Sue made her seem like a friend, and brought her to life. Thank you for that, Ray. Her affection for life is quite obvious.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish Dace (BonaireTalker - Post #80) on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - 3:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Harrie,
I will go with you to clear away the weeds periodically. Sue has also become special to me. Just send me a message when you want to go to do this.
Also thank you for sharing with us how the weeds got cleared away this time.
Tish

 


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