Kroontje, Marietje

Marietje Kroontje died Tuesday, November 4, 2014at the age of 94. Born in Rotterdam Netherlands, Marietje immigrated to the United States in 1948 with her now deceased husband, friend and partner, Wybe Kroontje. Living in the Netherlands during World War II, Marietje had experienced both the devastation of war and the joy of liberation by US and Allied troops.

She was devoted to her husband and worked tirelessly with him, first as he achieved his degree in agronomy at Cornell University and later as he became a professor of Agronomy at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Before retiring from that post, Wybe and Marietje volunteered some 13-years of their time in the planning and fundraising for a non-profit retirement community in Blacksburg, Virginia known as Warm Hearth Village.

Their joint effort in launching Warm Hearth was to contribute to the care and wellbeing of the elderly as an expression of gratitude to the United States for liberating Europe from the Nazis. Today, Warm Hearth is a thriving retirement community that includes a nursing facility, an Alzheimer unit and on-site retail facilities. She was a loving and attentive mother and grandmother.

Marietje is survived by her daughter Roeli Kroontje; her son-in-law, Scott Fuller; and her granddaughter, Lindsay Fuller who reside in Waterford, Virginia.

Memorial Services will be held a 2 p.m.on Saturday November 15, 2014 at the Blacksburg Presbyterian Church in Blacksburg Virginia. In lieu of flowers donation may be made to the Warm Hearth Foundation, 2603 Warn Hearth Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060. Please share condolences with the family at www.LoudounFuneralChapel.com.