The Copier Homestead in Breukelen, 90 Zandpad

From Vinkeveen we drove to Breukelen to visit the old “Copier homestead”. It is a beautiful plot of land along the Vecht at 90 Zandpad in Breukelen. The banks of the Vecht are higher than the land and road running next to the river. It is so easy to see why the Dutch considered breaching the dikes to ward off Hitler’s advancing armies. My father and his family were evacuated from their home in preparation, but Hiter’s armies moved too quickly and the plan was abandoned.

The old home has been replaced with a new home built in the same style. As I stood there and thought about my grandfather, I came to appreciate even more the great sacrifice he made to be with his children. Recently, through reports from my cousins, the Breukelen property was put for sale and the value was well over a million dollars.

Opa Copier was the first boy in Utrecht to have a bike. He was a respected business man and community member. He was a land owner and after the war, which I’m sure was not a good time to sell property, he sold all he had so that he and his wife could emigrate to the United States to be with their children. A few months ago, Oom Gov reminded me of this fact. Opa Copier loved his home and had served his country. He was not a member of the Church, so he had no strong yearning to be with the Saints, but all of his children and emigrated and in the end he said to his wife, “we gan naar de kinderen” (we’re going to the children).