Friday, September 5, 2008

US Memorial Service

Hello friends,

I just wanted to make a brief post to confirm the time, date, and location for the US Memorial service for my mother. That information is:

5:30pm on Saturday September 6th

Oak Road Kingdom Hall - West Hall (The one on the left)
1710 Oak Road
Snellville, GA 30078

Our family looks forward to seeing you there.

Love,
Niclas and the Willems Family

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Greetings from the land of the Midnight Sun

Dear friends,

My apologies for not updating this site sooner. I know many of you have been regularly checking to see about any updates.

For the past two weeks Cristy, Erica, Daniel, and myself have been able to be out here in Finland visiting my father as well as Alex and Anne. It has been as enjoyable as the circumstances could allow.

My father has expressed to me the great comfort that he's had from reading and re-reading many of the cards, comments and e-mails. We've been able to spend much time over the past days with him and my grandmother and both of them send their love to all of you.

We were able to have a small funeral on August 2th with the congregation here in Tampere. Several old friends that my parents knew and even some that had helped them into the truth over 30 years ago made the journey. That afternoon we buried my mother's ashes in my grandmother's (Mummo's) family plot in the 500+ year old cemetery directly across from Mummo's home.


I wanted to also update everyone regarding plans for the US service. The plans for that are now on September 6th at 5:30pm in the Oak Road Kingdom Hall.
Again, I’m sure that announcements will be made in the surrounding congregations the week before that date.

Thank you all again for the support that has been extended to our family. We look forward to seeing you all again soon and my father is greatly looking forward to being able to visit with you dear friends in the States.

With all love,
Niclas Willems and the Willems Family

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Update regarding memorial arrangements

Dear Friends,

The abundance of your calls, cards and visits have truly been overwhelmingly helpful for our family.

The kind expressions bring to mind the words of wise King Solomon at Proverbs 16:24 where he wrote "Pleasant sayings are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and a healing to the bones"


As a family we have discussed at length what arrangements should be made regarding a memorial service for my mother. Due to the unique nature of the situation, and the fact that we would prefer to have my father here for the service, we will be waiting until he is able to join us here in late August.

Daniel, Erica, Cristy, and myself are making plans to fly out on July 24th to be with our family. We are planning a small family service on August 2nd in Saaksmaki, Finland. This is the village where my Mummo lives, the place my mother grew up, as well as the place she met and married my Father. Needless to say, the place carries much meaning for our family.

We will be staying in Finland through August 21st upon which we'll return and bring my father back with us for a few months.

At this moment we do not have a date set for a US memorial service, but it will be shortly after we return from Finland. We realize that this puts the memorial service tentatively 2 months out from now and we thank you so much for understanding and supporting our family's decision in this regards.

I will continue to post any pertinent updates to this site as details are made or as I get any information.

Once again, our entire family thanks you for the kindness that has been displayed to all of us. The Apostle Paul's words at 1 Thessalonians 5:11 where he told the congregation, "Therefore keep comforting one another and building one another up, just as you are in fact doing." are definitely something that we are experiencing firsthand.


With much love,
Niclas and the entire Willems Family

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Mailing addresses

Dear Friends,

Many of you have asked for the mailing addresses of my father and my grandmother. Those are as follows:

Jörg Willems
Opiskelijankatu 19 C 63
33720 Tampere, Finland

Martta Mikkola
Kirkkovainiontie 9
37700 Sääksmäki, Finland


Thank you all for your kind expressions and comments!

Hello family and friends!

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit this site!

If you're here then I'm sure that you have already heard the sad news. My mother, Katariina Willems, passed away this last weekend.

Your calls, visits, and prayers have definitely been appreciated by our family. Due to the sheer number of people that knew and loved my mother I decided to start up this blog simply as a way to share some information as well as give anyone that wanted to, a way to express their thoughts. I know that your kind words will be very comforting to our family, especially my father.

This past Sunday, while attending the Finnish District Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses, my mother passed out for about 10 minutes and was rushed to the local university hospital. Although she was out for several minutes, when she came around she was coherent and responsive. She was placed into the Neurological ICU of the hospital and the doctors ran several tests on her. Later that day, satisfied that her condition had stabilized, they moved her from the ICU department to a "step-down" unit where she would be observed for the next day or two. Since the doctors assured him that her condition was stable and she was in the capable hands of the staff there, my father went home, stopping to spend some time with my mother's mother (Mummo) and comfort her. Early the next morning, around 2-3am local time, my father was called from the hospital that my mother had passed away.

Right now we don't really have any more information on the cause, however all signs point to neurological issues. There is an investigation being done and I will update this site whenever we have more information.


As far as plans from this point on, since my mother had so many friends and loved ones here we will definitely be making plans for a memorial service here in the near future. Right now, simply due to the "international" nature of the plans required, we do not have a date. But be assured that once we have one it will be posted here as well as announced in the surrounding congregations.

Again, your calls and loving concern for our family have truly been touching. I ask that you continue to think of my father in your prayers and I will be sure to communicate your love to him.

I've setup the email address thewillemsfamily@gmail.com for anyone that would like to send any love to my father. I can't promise a quick reply but your messages are always welcome.

Also please feel free to share any thoughts or expressions of love here as well by clicking on the word "Comments" below. I know that these will also be great appreciated by our family and my father in particular.


With much love,
Niclas Willems and all of the Willems Family