A few days after the death of her husband Henk (74), Riek van der Wal (85) passed away on Saturday. The Winschoters enjoyed great fame in the province of Groningen for decades as an entrepreneurial couple.
Henk van der Wal was director of taxi company De Grooth, bus company GADO, the Mercedes garages, the employment agency Synergon and theater De Klinker. In fact, they were inseparable. Riek has always assisted Henk. She was fully involved in the companies that they both built up”, says Geert van der Wal, Henk’s brother.
Riek once ran a physiotherapy practice in Winschoten. “She did that with a lot of passion. Her strength was the piece of peace she brought. Henk was a little more focused on business.” Both were distinguished as Knight in the Order of Orange Nassau because of their merits for society and the business world.
If they felt it necessary, they made an appearance together. “They were each other’s support. The interaction was fine and we never noticed any agitation between the two. Henk and Riek had recently had problems with their health. They wanted to continue to take care of each other”, says Geert van der Wal.
The death of both spouses, so soon after each other, he calls a heavy blow to the family. “However, there is also a consolation. It may sound strange, but there is also a beautiful side to it. Henk and Riek were so attached to each other. Maybe it’s better that way.”
‘She didn’t hang her head’
According to Geert, Riek was very active in preparing the farewell service for Henk. “She didn’t give up. Physically she had become very vulnerable, she was suffering from bladder cancer. As a family, we spent the time together after Henk’s death on Wednesday.” Just before the weekend, Riek’s health situation suddenly deteriorated, after which she died on Saturday in the hospital in Scheemda.
Henk and Riek will both be buried in a private circle on Wednesday after a service in the Vennekerk in Winschoten. “We were able to arrange that. This is hard to comprehend.”