(submitted by Jean Janes)
Adrian Van Haaren came to Canada in 1953 on a flight paid for by his father. He had $125 in his pocket, the amount of money that was allowed out of the country at the time. Adrian’s brother was already in the Forest area. Adrian worked in Grand Bend and in Embro, then went back to Holland where he married Anne Van Balkom in 1955.
The couple immigrated to Canada and realized Adrian’s dream of owning a dairy farm by purchasing a 100 acre farm on Brickyard Line in 1963. The farm remained dairy for 13 years, then they diversified into turkeys and hogs.
As with many immigrants, the lack of knowledge of the English language proved to be a difficulty. Adrian found he had a good teacher in the preschool daughter of one of his employers. She repeated sentences and words often, as small children will do, and so helped him to learn the language.
Adrian and Anne retired from farming in 1993 and moved to Warwick Village. Their son Joe took over the farm.
Adrian and Anne’s children are: Marjorie (1957–), Peter (1958–), Anne Marie (1959–), Joe (1960–), and Connie (1963–).
Chapter 24 of 25 - Van Haaren Family
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