About Us

 

 

 

Walther J. Loff

 
Edith E. Loff

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I was born on a Saturday noon in the Dutch Military Hospital on May 14th 1932 in the City of PARAMARIBO, Dutch Guyana, also known asSURINAME.   It is located in South America between Venezuela and Brazil, at the time a Dutch Colony; where my father was posted as a Dutch Army Officer, who came from Holland; there he met my mother, his third wife and I am the youngest of this family.    My father had 5 children of which my brother and I are still alive.

At the age of 13 my father died.

At the age of 16 in 1948, I signed on to a Foreign Ship with a crew of 48 as a Engine room Helper (Wiper), that was carrying Bauxite from Suriname to the USA and back with dry goods to all the Caribbean Islands for a period of 2 years.  Than for 3 years we carried goods from Vancouver, B.C. Canada to Hawaii, Japan, Korea and the Philippines, I ended my sailor's career in October of 1953.

October 3rd 1953 I arrived in Amsterdam, Holland in order to complete my Education and in 1954, I was employed with the Brazilian Embassy as an Interpreter in the Brazilian Trade Bureau.  This to my surprise, and dismay, I was notified that I had entered as a Dutch Citizen in a foreign diplomatic Service, WITHOUT WRITEN PERMISSION OF HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF HOLLAND.   Because of doing so, I lost my Dutch Citizenship and became a STATELESS person.   This was corrected when my boss, the Brazilian Commercial Attaché, notified the Dutch Foreign Department, that I have been employed with his office and asked for retroactive permission to be so employed. After waiting 6 months, (reporting every week to the Immigration Department) I had to swear allegiance to the Dutch Queen, and received my Dutch Citizenship back, also I than received myDutch Identity Card. Stating that I was in Foreign Diplomatic Service in Holland as a Dutch Citizen. The down side was that all my movements were recorded and reported to the foreign department; the better side was I no longer had to pay any kind of TAX or import/export duties and free from Customs Inspections.

Sept 1955, I met a wonderful Sales lady working in a Souvenirs shop; I was determined to pursue this precious young lady and by Jan 1956 we started dating. We became engaged on March 31-1956 and Married on July 18thy 1956.

In April of 1957, we immigrated to Canada.

I was born on March 31st 1935 in the city of Zeist, the Province of Utrecht, the Netherlands.
At the age 0f 1 ½, my parents and me immigrated to Australia, my mother became very homesick and saved enough money in order to pay for the return ticket for herself and me back to Holland before World War 2 started.

My years during the war were very hard for me as I had to fit into a Dutch society again under duress as my father could not return to Holland and I missed him very much. My father remained in Australia.
At age 18, my mother and I, immigrated to Canada, Vancouver, B.C., however again her home-sickness forced us back to Holland.
At age 20, I met a wonderful young Dutch man, who I fell in love with and we decided to get married on July 18th 1956.

We departed in April of 1957 from Rotterdam, Holland, on the SS.Rijndam to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and via train for 5 days and 6 nights to Vancouver, B.C. Canada; there we started our new life with a bright future.

1957 to Date

Walther And Edith

..In Vancouver April 1957, I was hired after 3 days arrival and was send to Edmonton where I remained employed with a Subsidiary of the Canadian National Railways until end 1959.

Our First born in December of 1957, was our daughter Astrid Carol Loff and our second born in November of 1959, was our Son David John Loff, who are both married with 5 grand children and are both residing in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada where we also live.

..From September 1959 until October 1964, I was self employed as Walther Loff Insurance Agency, selling all forms of Insurance.

..From November 1964 until January 1995, I returned to the Machinist/Millwright trade and worked at various locations including my last 22 years in the Mechanical department of Strathcona Refinery (ESSO), there I had the opportunity to take a loan assignment to a 1000.000 barrels per day capacity refinery in Amway, Venezuela, assisting in the takeover from construction and the machinery commissioning of this refinery. Also a chance to visit with my brother Wilfred Johan Loff, who lives in Caracas, Venezuela and had not seen for 31 years and his children and grand children..

..January 1995 I started my early retirement from Esso refinery and into the world of freedom and venture where we, Edith and I, spent our time at our Lake Cottage year round at Lake Isle, West of the City of Edmonton, Alberta. We spent our Christmas and New Years at the Lake Cottage enjoying the winter scenery and fresh air together with all the wild game that is abound at our location and wandering in our yard looking for food or coverage. Also Ice Fishing (a hole drilled in the ice and fish through this hole) we enjoy and also boating during the summer and visiting the surrounding towns and villages.

.. Since I was 14 years old in 1946 I became interested in and after Licensed as an Amateur Radio Operator and have been very active with this hobby with our local Radio Club, also my Wife Edith has obtained her License as such in 1990 and we both enjoy this great hobby communicating all over the world either via Radio or via the Internet.

.. Taking photographs in general and also from birds and using a spotting telescope "Bausch & Lomb - ELITE - with a 80mm ED Lens and a 20X60 Zoom Eyepiece, coupled thereto is a Nikon CoolPix5000 digital camera" has kept me occupied at Home and at our Lake Cottage of which I have posted the results on this webpage together with the equipment I use..

.. Our children and grand children are a great asset to us and we are very closely involved enjoying there precious lives here in the city.

..My other interest is the investigation of my family roots and have this also posted on my webpage and keep updating this as information becomes available. (The internet is a great asset getting information available also the Mormon Church records should not be overlooked)