Winny Emans Westergaard

Winny was born in Samarang, Indonesia to Rudolph and Emma VanHek on September 18, 1927. She was the oldest of four siblings, growing up with sisters Ernestine and Esther, and brother Ronald. Her early life was shaped by the Japanese invasion of Indonesia and the imprisonment of her father in a concentration camp.

Winny married Frederik Emans in 1948, and the family moved to the Netherlands, then to Curacao, and finally to San Diego, California in 1966.

The family lost Frederik to cancer in 1968, leaving Winny to support and raise her three children, Ingrid, Wilma, and Eric alone. She was an expert seamstress and found work sewing wedding gowns at JCPenny. Winny proudly became a US citizen in 1971.

Winny married her second husband, Jan Westergaard, while living in San Diego. The couple moved to Port Orchard in 1990. After many happy years together, Jan died in 2005. Winny filled her life with the love of her 3 children, 7 grandchildren, and 28 great-grandchildren. She also loved her church, her friends, handwork, gardening, and playing Rummikub.

Winny (affectionately known to all as Atje) is survived by her three children Ingrid (Jack) Goossens, Wilma (Jack) DeKorne, and Eric (Debi) Emans; a step-daughter Deborah (David) Clark; along with her grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Winny’s memory can be made to Harper Church or the Wounded Warrior Project.