The "In Memory Of Diederick Cannegieter, 'The Gardener'" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Looking back through my blog to the date when I wrote my first story about a fellow whom I only knew at one time as "The Gardener." It was on Monday, May 19, 2014 that I introduced the world to "The Gardener."  It had been a year before that my wife, Carol, and I had planned a vacation to St. Martin.  To prepare for our trip, I began reading a blog titled "Barbara Talks! A St. Maarten Blog!"  Barbara lived on the island known as Sint Maarten/St. Martin and loved writing about her "Gardener."  One of Barbara's stories talked about a liquor store in the town of Philipsburg known as Cannegie's Liquor Store that was owned and operated by "The Gardener" so when we finally arrived on the island months later, we made a trip to the store and asked the woman at the counter if we could talk to "The Gardener."  The woman had a strange look on her face so I told her that Barbara told us to ask for "The Gardener."  Then the laughter began and she told us "The Gardener" is really Barbara's husband, Diederick!  We spent the next half hour talking with Diederick about his business of 50 years, his wife Barbara and his nickname as "the gardener.".  We had finally  met her "gardener"!  

Diederick Cannegieter 

Over the next half dozen years or more we made yearly, sometimes bi-yearly, visits to the island for vacation and made sure to visit with Barbara and Dee at their house high on a hill above the town of Philipsburg.  We got to know them and their many pets and Carol had a chance to wander through Dee's garden for hours at a time, talking with him about the variety of flowers and vines that filled his half-acre garden.  One year after returning home from our trip to Sint Maarten, Carol dug out a few of her bulbs and we mailed them to him.  

My wife Carol, Diederick and Barbara in Dee's garden.

The following year we got to see how well they had taken to the Caribbean atmosphere.  We met with Dee and Barbara a few times for meals, but it was Dee's garden that drew us back to their home.  Diederick recently died and has left a big hole on the island of Sint Maarten to fill.  We want to give our sincere condolences to his wife Barbara and their family.  Diederick's shoes will be hard to fill, but hopefully his memories will remain forever in their minds and hearts.  The Gardener will no longer be around to tend the garden, but the flowers and shrubs will be a constant reminder of the great guy who tended to them with gentle care for many, many years.  Dear Barbara, we are so sorry for your loss, but at least you know that Dee has been called to tend his Heavenly Garden where he must have been needed.  May you have peace knowing that he is in a heavenly place.  From your friends in Pennsylvania.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Diederick proudly showing the plaque that tells
of his being in business for 50 years.