Engelina Christina Spieker

Engelina Christina Spieker (Chris), aged 97, passed away peacefully on November 22, 2023 in Weatherford, Texas. She was surrounded by her immediate family. Born in 1926 in Amsterdam, Holland, she was a witness to history. She saw her home country invaded and occupied by Nazi forces and endured many hardships during her teenage years. She married Herman van de Oudeweetering during the war and they had a daughter, Mieke. The marriage ended during the war. She met and married the love of her life Marinus Spieker, in Amsterdam, Holland in 1947 which endured until his death the day after their anniversary in 2008, for a total of 61 years together. Once married, they established a residency in New Jersey where she was able to become a US citizen. Later they moved to Germany where daughter Sandra was born. When they moved to Richardson, Texas in 1955, she and Marinus raised daughters, Mieke and Sandra, filled with Dutch nuances, traditions, and a smattering of the Dutch language. In 1961 she took courses in Dallas where she studied cosmetology and became a hairdresser. She had many clients in Richardson, and later Houston, Texas where eventually she retired. Her favorite sport was bowling, and she participated in a league over the years in Richardson, Houston, and Plano. She also loved golf, sports cars, gardening, tulips, chocolate, bacon, and rearranging furniture. She was a wonderful cook. She is predeceased by her daughter, Mieke Van de Oudeweetering of Groningen, Holland and her granddaughter Alice van de Oudeweetering, also of Groningen. She is survived by her daughter Sandra Spieker Ringo and her son-in-law, Danny of Weatherford. Grandchildren include Aaron Ringo and daughter-in-law, Tonye Shoemaker-Ringo, of Weatherford, Peter and Menno ter Braak, Tijl, and Conchita van de Oudeweetering and Simone Monasch, all living in the Netherlands. She had 9 great grandchildren and 3 great, great grandchildren, all those also of the Netherlands. Truly she had a life well lived. The family wishes to express gratitude to Brookdale Assisted Living of Weatherford, for their excellent care, and friendship in her last year and half, and to Saint Garbriel’s hospice for making her final journey peaceful and filled with love.