Remembering our ancestors, my grandfather Otto Lionel van Romondt

Source: Pic by Malaki Zuleika Croes ( AUA)

I would like to remember my loving grandfather Otto Lionel van Romondt born May 10, 1881 on the beautiful island of Sint Maarten and died July 18, 1932 , son of Louis Alexander van Romondt ( 1849-1912) and Ida Leontine van Romondt (1855-1920).

Source: Iona Cannegieter & Alvan Bruno Richardson ( AUA)

My grandfather was known as one of the most loving van Romondt's on the island. While many of his family lived on the country side, Otto enjoyed the town "Philipsburg". In those days everyone knew each other in Sint Maarten, well yeah we only had two streets frontstreet and backstreet and that was it! Little by little Sint Maarten N.A. continue it's development as you can see now. No airlines only ships (scooners) which came into Philipsburg with food and took us to nearby islands! What a time was that! I left Sint Maarten at the age of 17 and came to Aruba were I married my belated husband Alvan Bruno Richardson and started my family consisting of my children and grandchildren. I'm still waiting for my great grandchildren but my grandchildren are so busy with their things so I guess I will wait. Boy, I come from a different period of time and in those days we did things completely different and in relaxation. Now a days people run instead of walking and are so occupied and no time to breathe. Things really are different. Well the speedy Gonsalez life didn't catch me, as I always enjoyed working and enjoying it day by day. I always read and everyday you will find me sitting in my chair reading a book. This has never changed. I will be 83 years old in December 2008 and hope to meet most of you at the reunion. I'm so sorry my only uncle " Douglas Cannegieter" died in 2007 who was brother to my father Clarence Aubrey Cannegieter and which brings me back to my grandfather Otto Lionel van Romondt.

I was 6 years old when Otto died. I was in school and the lady who worked at the house was sent to get me and my sister Mabel. I went home and heard the news of the passing away of my grandfather. The funeral took place a few days after. My father the late judge Clarence Aubrey Cannegieter was of island and coulnd't attend the funeral. He was in Curacao N.A. or Dominican Republic and in those days men only travelled by boat. So it was impossible for my dad to be there. I don't recall if the other sons ( Douglas, Granville and Rogers) were at the funeral as I was so little.

The funeral was sad, my grandfather was always nice to me and to see him laying in his coffin just was very emotional. He layed in the coffin with a bowl of grass ( a tradition) on this big belly (will get back on the belly) and I was called up to say goodbye. In those days the children had to kiss the forehead. Small little me went up and kissed my grandfather on his forehead, eventhough I was so little I always remembered this since I didn't know that his forehead would be so cold. Quess children look at things different!

Otto was such a nice man and he enjoyed playing with me and Mabel. His belly was so big and the game we played was " ready". He would put Mabel and me on each side of his belly and would say ready......,and we jumped over. Two little girls jumping over his big white belly decorated with blue vains. When he had enough of us he gave us money to go buy pommegrates up the road.

Otto was an accountant for the family business owned by him and his brother Louis van Romondt. I also remember mr. Lou as he was called. He always came over by my dad to trim his hair. My grandfather Otto was known as Mr. Nel. I was so little and I couldn't pronounce Nel so I called him Nelvinne. He would work only mornings and always said " more than 3 hours work is for cattle'. Otto enjoyed his liquor and sitting in his rocking chair looking at the sea of Sint Maarten N.A.

My mother gave me and Mabel a chain, well I of course lost it. It was a chain that Otto gave us. It was long and they made into 2 pieces. Mabel kept hers with the Mason pendant ( nobody knew what those symbols were). Last year my granddaughter Malaki told me that Shirley (Mabel's eldest daughter) found a chain with the pendant. She didn't know were her mom got it from but I was happy to tell the story.

I never met Sarah Cannegieter, she died years before, but from what my mother told me she was a beautiful woman of color and was always proud of her 4 sons (Aubrey, Douglas, Granville and Rogers) and would walk down in town with them beautifully dressed!

I always told my children and grandchildren of their family heritage and shared many stories with them. I always keep repeating myself since they always forget what I tell them. I guess with the research everything will be documented now. I'm very proud of my eldest granddaughter Malaki Zuleika Croes who always searched for her family roots and took the initiative to start with the van Romondt Research Project. I think now I understand her passion, motivation and dedication for this research, first her name Malaki, which comes from the book of Malachi, which means messenger of God and second she was born on the same day that her great great grandfather Otto Lionel van Romondt died which is July, 18. I always tell her child when you keep digging long enough you'll learn that all the families in Sint Maarten N.A. are related! I hope that soon Malaki will start researching the Cannegieters, James and Richardson families which is the mother's side of our families.