More than a hundred Tilburgers said goodbye to Father Poels on Monday afternoon in the St. Lucaskerk in Tilburg. “He has meant a lot to the city and so we also wanted to give the people of Tilburg the opportunity to say goodbye,” says his eldest foster son Dieter Toprek about Poels, who was said goodbye in a private circle.
“Gerrit was very important to the city. Socially and socially, he was incredibly innovative. He has set up many initiatives. Fortunately, his work will continue,” said his foster son.
Dieter learned from his foster father not to judge people too quickly or to judge things. “Everyone was welcome at my father’s. No distinction was made between rich or poor origin, a single mother or a junkie. This is a very important lesson, especially in this day and age.”
Liz Wittkampf is also coming to say goodbye. She has known Father Poels for fifty years, when she started working as a volunteer at homeless shelter Huize Poels. “We were in the Nieuwlandstraat with a rickety kitchen and two rickety stoves on which you could bake sixty pieces of bacon. When I got home I was covered in grease. It was quite intense to work there. Sometimes crockery and tables flew around. I learned a lot. You can then see what is for sale at the bottom of the world.”
“People had a lot of respect for him”
Father Poels was a ‘special figure’, says Wittkampf. “He was not afraid of anything. People had a lot of respect for him. He did not know working hours, so he continued tirelessly at night with his bicycle.”
That famous bicycle from Poels was therefore honored during the service. The bicycle with black crates full of bread stood next to the wooden box. Many people brought flowers to place at the coffin and expressed condolences to the family.
“His work made people think. I’m pretty good, while others can’t afford bread, they thought,” says Wittkampf.
“He is still a huge source of inspiration today.”
Flip used to be an addict himself. Later, together with Poels, he helped other addicts and the needy and became the project leader of the MST bus, which is available for removals and clean-up campaigns of Tilburg minimums.
“That bus was created thanks to Father Poels. He is still a huge source of inspiration today. If he wanted something, he would bang his fist on the table and we would just go for it. For example, we have set up a user area. Even after his death we are not without, but with the father”, said Flip about the deceased who, according to him, lives on in everyone’s thoughts.
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