Tribute

Cornelis ( Casey ) Maliepaard – ( May 2, 1925 – November 29,2012 ) passed away on November 29th peacefully and surrounded by family.

Casey was predeceased by his sister Trijntje in 1941, both of his parents in the mid 1970's and his grandson Jonathan Cook in 1986. He is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, four children – Peter ( Linda ) Maliepaard of OK Falls, Helen ( Rick ) Zachariason of Rosebud, Alberta, Art Maliepaard of Vernon and Tina ( Gary ) Cook of Oliver. He also has three grandsons, Nathaneal Cook of Red Deer, Alberta, Matthew Cook of Penticton and Justin Cook of Oliver as well as great grandson Michael Cook of Oliver.

Most people remember Casey as “the tall Dutchman” who loved his gardening and who for many years farmed in the Oliver area growing ground crops and providing bedding plants to many local farmers.

When Casey and his new bride Cornelia immigrated to Canada from Holland in 1954. They settled in Keremeos where he worked for a period of time at the sawmill there. In 1959, he started farming and he pioneered true organic farming in that area. Then, in 1968, he and his family moved to the Oliver area where he farmed several different parcels of land over a period of years. In the late 1970's, the family moved to the Penticton area where he again established greenhouses and sold bedding plants and some ground crops. He moved back to Oliver a few years later to Green Acres Mobile Home park where he continued to have a small garden and provided bedding plants to his children and friends until he and Conelia moved to Creston where they lived for several years before moving back again to the Green Acres trailer park to be closer to family. They resided there until 2009 when both he and Cornelia moved into Heritage House.

In August of 2012, Casey was admitted to the Oliver General Hospital where on November 29th around 7:35 PM, he passed quietly and peacefully away. Casey is probably best remembered for his many articles and letters to the editor in the local newspaper and he was also a regular guest on The Business of farming on CIGV radio where he gave good counsel on organic gardening.

There will be no services.

Condolences and tributes may be directed to the family by visiting www.nunes-pottinger.com

Arrangements entrusted to Nunes-Pottinger Funeral Service & Crematorium, Oliver & Osoyoos.