Born in a Barn: A Memoir

by Mary VanderKooy Guldemond

In this memoir of her childhood, Mary VanderKooy Guldemond reflects on growing up in a family of thirteen children and on the impact of immigration on her family. Born in The Netherlands at the end of World War II, Mary lived in a unique and historic old home in a peaceful little town near Rotterdam, where many of her forefathers and mothers had also been born and raised. Her life was simple, calm, and predictable.

In 1955, Mary's parents uprooted their large family and emigrated to Canada, at a time when immigration was still a final act of separation. Mary left behind a grandfather, many aunts and uncles, and 100 first cousins.

Immigration was a shock to the whole family. Through stories and vignettes, Mary describes some of the experiences and difficulties they encountered as new immigrants living in a Dutch Calvinist community in southern Ontario. The saddest event for her and her family was the loss of her oldest sister, eight years after immigration. For Mary, that tragic event coincided with the end of her childhood. A few months later, she left home to attend Teachers College.