Elisabeth (Bettina, Bep) Vermaas Wynia

Elisabeth (Bettina / Bep) Vermaas Wynia

Three days after celebrating her 96th birthday Bettina was quietly reunited with the love of her life Fetze/Frank Wynia, who had predeceased her 29 years earlier.
Bettina lived a very full life. She was brought up by a mother who was a life long student, researcher and author, and so learned at a very young age to fend for herself.  At the age of sixteen she met her husband-to-be and immediately fell in love - not only with him, but his very boisterous, fun loving family. Bettina endured very difficult times of separation and violence during the Second World War in the Netherlands. Hoping to build a new life in Canada, Bettina, Frank and their three oldest children emigrated to St. Catharines in 1954. Here they welcomed two more children to the fold, and in 1964 their dream of owning their own bakery became a reality! The family moved to Barrie, opened “Wynia’s Bakery & Tearoom” and never looked back.  Even though Bettina was the driving force behind all of their life changing decisions, they couldn’t have been accomplished without the tireless hard work, organizational and financial skills of her husband, Frank. Over the years the family swelled from 7 to 45!

After retirement, Mom & Dad loved to travel. Trips back to the old homeland, RV’ing to Alaska and many other destinations in Canada, the USA and all over Europe. They also volunteered with Government of Canada Outreach and were sent to Guatemala as well as First Nations’ reservations as skilled and qualified volunteers in developing countries while working with local partners.
After Dad died Mom continued her love of travel.  We were all amazed that she and her friend, Barb would travel widely through Canada and sleep in a little two person pup tent during her 80’s!  She travelled to Colorado and Germany with Tim & Shelley during her 80’s & 90’s; went parasailing in her 80’s; and flew to PEI every summer for 20 years to visit Joanne & Joe. Every fall, often with her friends, off she would go to spend Oct., Nov. part of Dec. at Otto & Liz’s winter home in Madeira Beach, Florida. And to top it off, at the ripe old age of 90… she excitedly hopped on the back of her son-in-law’s motorcycle for a tour of Barrie.

In between her travels she filled her spare time with more volunteer work; beginning with several days a week at the RVH coffee shop and later as a volunteer in the RVH Emergency Dept. For many years Bettina coordinated her church’s turn at the Barrie Soup Kitchen, as well as delivering Meals on Wheels to shut-Ins. And finally, she volunteered into her 90's at The Mission Thrift Store.

Her greatest passion throughout her life was singing.  At the age of 16 she knew the bass, tenor, alto and soprano parts of the Messiah and the St. Matthew Passion.  Through the years she was involved in many choirs and musical theatre productions and, finally, for almost 30 years she was very proud to be a member of the “Cellar Singers” who were named to “The Order of Canada”. Due to her nervousness her beautiful voice was not often featured as a soloist which was a great shame because she was blessed with such a beautiful gift.

Bettina will lovingly be remembered and missed by her children,
Hans Wynia, Liz Wynia Tiemersma (the late Otto), Frank Wynia (Lynn), Joanne Wynia Owen (Joe), the late Tim Wynia (Shelley), as well as her 9 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren.

According to Bettina wishes, a private family funeral will be held