Arie de Vrij

Rotterdam April 18, 1935 - Chilliwack March 19, 2023

It is with sadness that we announce that it pleased the Lord to take away out of this life our dear husband, father and grandfather (‘opa’) Arie de Vrij at the age of 87 years.

He was born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands in April 1935. He sold his greenhouse business in 1987 and immigrated to Chilliwack, with his wife Bertha Chiela to start a new business in March 1989. He was the founder and visionary of our family business ‘DeVry Greenhouses’.

He is survived by his wife Bertha Chiela (‘Bep’) de Vrij and children Dick and Anne-Mieke (Lisa and Wouter, Kristian, Marolise and Gijsbert, Mees, Michiel and Bente), Pete and Amy (Lona and Caleb, Steve, Julia and Jordan, Seth, Emily) and Arnold and Willeke (Ida and Jorgen, Celia, Adrian, Willem, Caspar, Myrte).

The family is grateful to Dr. J. Stopforth for his excellent care and home visits. We also wish to express our heartfelt gratitude for the loving and compassionate care of a group of independent providers with who went above and beyond to care for him in the last weeks of his life.

If you wish to pay your last respects, condolences will be on Wednesday evening, March 22nd from 7pm – 8pm in the Henderson Funeral Home (45901 Victoria Ave). The church service with burial following (Chilliwack Cemeteries) will take place on Thursday morning, March 23rd at 11am in the Bethel Netherlands Reformed Congregation (8920 Broadway Street).