Obituary of Richard Riedstra

Riedstra, Richard F. (Dick) ~ Richard F. (Dick) Riedstra Richard F. Riedstra, 84, of Parkwood Mennonite Home, Waterloo, formerly of Elmira and of St. Jacobs Meadows, passed away on Wednesday, December 7, 2011. Born in Ryptsjerk, Friesland in the Netherlands in May 22, 1927, he was devoted to his wife Maria (Langerak) whom he married at Utrecht in 1953. Survived by his wife Maria Riedstra, of Parkwood Home, Waterloo; his children: Lutzen Riedstra and Carolynn Bart-Riedstra, Stratford; Henry and Linda Riedstra, Stratford; and Maria Riedstra and Andrew Hellebust, Toronto; his grandchildren: Lutzen Riedstra, Stratford; Kyla Riedstra-Wiesner and Rob Wiesner, Belleville; Janelle Riedstra and Steven Korsh, Toronto; Davin Riedstra, Kitchener; Eric and Laila Hellebust, Toronto. Also survived by his brothers Rick (Henriette) Riedstra, Wallaceburg ON; Rindert (Roeli) Riedstra, Nanaimo BC; Dirk (Grace) Riedstra, Parksville BC; and Lútsen Riedstra, Burgum, Friesland; his sisters Jantje Brandsma, Mieke (Henk) Damsma, and Froukje (Foppe) Kooistra, all in Friesland (the Netherlands) and sister-in-law Erika Riedstra-Röhlke of Nunspeet, the Netherlands; and many nephews and nieces. Predeceased by his parents Luitzen F. Riedstra and Joukje (van der Veen), his brother Paul Riedstra and his brother-in-law Oebele Brandsma, all in the Netherlands. When he turned 16 during World War II, he spent a year in hiding in a boat among the reeds with two other friends. After the war he joined the military band, Prins Bernhard Kapel, on trumpet and did a year-long tour of the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). As the youngest member (19) he was given a bursary to continue his music education at the Royal Conservatory of Music in The Hague. He switched to French horn and had the opportunity to play with The Hague Philharmonic and other orchestras, before taking a position with the new Brabants Orkest in ’s-Hertogenbosch upon graduation. Here he met Maria who was a violinist in the same orchestra. In 1955, he was recruited into one of six new military bands being created in Canada, as so many other Dutch musicians. He was one of the first members of the Royal Canadian Dragoons band formed at Camp Borden. The family thus immigrated to Canada. After four years in Barrie, we were transferred to Soest, Germany for three years, and then to Oromocto, New Brunswick. After ten years in the military, he decided to go into teaching and became Department Head of Music at Elmira District Secondary School for twenty years (1965-1985). While at EDSS, he led the band on a number of trips to EXPO 67 in Montreal, Germany, Disney World in Florida, etc. The high point was the two week trip to Osaka, Japan to perform for the emperor and for the opening week of EXPO 70 as the official representative of Canada. Other highlights at EDSS were putting on a number of very successful musicals together with theatre arts teacher Gord Davis as director. He was also an associate teacher for Althouse Teacher’s College, University of Western Ontario, and was commissioned a lieutenant in the Army Reserve for his work with the cadets at the school. He is fondly remembered by many students. He also continued to play French horn in the New Brunswick Symphony and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Richard and Maria (who was concertmaster) were members of the KW Symphony Board in the early 1970s and were instrumental in the professionalization of the orchestra. Richard also conducted various other groups including the Elmira Concert Band and the Kitchener Police Band. He also was a composer and arranger of various pieces for band including the Regimental March of the Hull Regiment (Canadian Army), the Elmira Reunion March, and various works for voice and band arranged for the Wellington Winds. For their work in the arts in the community, Richard and Maria were joint recipients of the KW Arts Award in 1990. Richard also enjoyed chess and was co-founder and president of the KW Chess Club in the 1990s. He also enjoyed fishing. He was a member of Gale Presbyterian Church, Elmira. The family will receive friends and relatives at Dreisinger Funeral Home, Elmira, on Sunday, December 11, from 2:00 to 5:30 p.m. The funeral service will be held at Gale Presbyterian Church, Elmira, on Monday, December 12, at 1:00 p.m. Interment to follow in Elmira Union Cemetery. Reception to follow in the church hall. Donations may be made to Heart & Stoke Foundation, KW Symphony, or Gale Presbyterian Church. Service Summary Visitation: Sunday, December 11, 2011 from 2 - 5:30 p.m. at the funeral home ~ Funeral Service: Monday, December 12, 2011 at 1 p.m. at Gale Presbyterian Church, Elmira ~ Donations: Heart & Stroke Foundation (KW Chapter 2 - 1373 Victoria St. N., Kitchener, ON N2B 3R6), KW Symphony (36 King St. W., Kitchener, ON N2G 1A3) or Gale Presbyterian Church (2 Cross St. Elmira, ON N3B 2S4)