Johannes M. Peppelaar

Johannes Marinus Peppelaar was born during the wet season of Jakarta, Indonesia, the fifth of eight children, on October 26, 1928. Striving for a better existence, he left for Holland in his late teens and joined the Royal Netherlands Navy. In 1951, he met the love of his life, the quintessential blue-eyed and blond-haired Dutch beauty, Wanda Veen. They married in 1954 and in 1960 they immigrated to the United States with their two daughters, Sascha and Mandy. Drawn by the promise of "streets paved with gold" and with less than $100 in their pockets and a third child on the way, the long sought for son, Patrick, they made the long boat journey to the new land. Sponsored by the Presbyterian Church, they arrived in Oakland, California where he never shied away from hard work and toiled tirelessly to provide for his family, despite only possessing high school 'book' English.

His efforts paid off; he studied at Berkley and became a Mechanical Engineer, P.E., and built power plants all over the world; Korea, Jordan, Hawaii, Venezuela and more. A natural linguist, he became conversational in foreign languages with grace and ease, delighting in meeting new people and conversing with them in their native tongue. Gregarious, garrulous and always the life of the party, he would spin his beautiful bride about on the dance floor in their signature jitterbug. He was blessed with his first grandchild, Joshua, in 1976 followed by a granddaughter, Jennifer in 1983, and the youngest, Dylan in 1997. A wonderful "Opa" he doted on his grandchildren.

Johannes or "Joe" Peppelaar was a well-traveled man. He had simple pleasures: he liked to eat well, laugh heartily, and was an engaging storyteller. He valued family above all else and never seemed more content than when his whole family was gathered together. Joe was loved and adored by his family and will be missed by all.


To the Evening Star
Thou fair-haired angel of the evening,
Now, whilst the sun rests on the mountains, light
Thy bright torch of love; thy radiant crown
Put on, and smile upon our evening bed!
Smile on our loves, and, while thou drawest the
Blue curtains of the sky, scatter thy silver dew
On every flower that shuts its sweet eyes
In timely sleep. Let thy west wind sleep on
The lake; speak silence with thy glimmering eyes,
And wash the dusk with silver. Soon, full soon,
Dost thou withdraw; then the wolf rages wide,
And the lion glares through the dun forest:
The fleeces of our flocks are covered with
Thy sacred dew: protect them with thine influence.

- William Blake


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