Autobiography of Carl Kaas - Family Photo circa 1923 - Left to right: Jan/John (1915-1997), Dad Wilhelmus Kaas (1865-1946), Cornelis/Carl (1919-   ), Dientje/Diane (1921-2009), Annie (1912-1991), Mom Helena van de Boom (1879-1960), Doortje/Dorothy (1917-2014)
Autobiography of Carl Kaas - Family Photo circa 1923
Left to right: Jan/John (1915-1997), Dad Wilhelmus Kaas (1865-1946), Cornelis/Carl (1919-2015),
Dientje/Diane (1921-2009), Annie (1912-1991),
Mom Helena van de Boom (1879-1960), Doortje/Dorothy (1917-2014)

The Autobiography
of Carl Kaas
(1919-2015 )

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Born December 12, 1919 on a dirt road in the village of Hamersveld, county of Leusden, province of Utrecht, Netherlands, Carl Kaas was an active member of the Dutch Onderground (Underground), i.e. the Dutch Resistance Movement during World War II. Carl's autobiography was originally written in Dutch. He later translated it to English and his daughter Elly faithfully typed up 132 chapters, making it possible for us today to read about Carl's fascinating and exciting life spanning many decades since his childhood in the Netherlands. Carl (Cornelis Gerardus) Kaas passed away peacefully on February 28, 2015 in Welland, Ontario, Canada. See Obituary.

Carl Kaas at age 91, photo taken on October 7, 2011 in Toronto by I Lee. Copyrighted.
Carl Kaas at age 91
Photo by I Lee

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF CARL KAAS - INDEX
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 VOLUME 1. CHILDHOOD
CHAPTER TITLE
1 The Start
2 The House Where We Grew Up
3 Our Daily Lives
4 Chickens and Bees
5 My First Trip
6 The Roaring Twenties?
7 Airplane Down
8 Going to School
9 The Games We Played
10 Saint Nicholas
11 Hunting Time
12 Poaching
13 Foxhunt
14 Brick Roads
15 More Games (Spinning Tops)
16 The Music in Our Lives
17 Winter Time
18 Family Reunion
19 The Funeral
20 Food and Eats
21 Family Reunion - Uncle Rick
22 Adventures
23 Interesting Characters
24 The Music Man and the Chicken Farmer
25 Herring from the Southern Sea
26 Causeway Wood
27 Sales and Service
28 Our Church
29 Visit to the Big City
30 End of an Era
31 The First Truck
32 Dramatic Change
33 Moving On
34 Trade School
35 A Different Life
36 More Exploration
37 Onto the Harbor
38 After School
39 A New Trade?
40 Other Interests
41 First Real Job
42 More Responsibility
43 Impossible Demand
44 Life in the Village during 1920s and 1930s
45 How About Crime?
46 Justice for All
47 Market Day
48 Always Learning
49 Germany
50 Back Home
51 Motorbikes
52 The Political Thirties
 VOLUME 2. THE WAR YEARS
CHAPTER TITLE
53 My Toughest Week
54 Full Mobilization
55 Rough Going
56 World War Two
57 The Hanging
58 Evacuation
59 The Four-Day War
60 Occupation
61 Back to Semi-Normal
62 Not Normal Any More
63 Catching Jews
64 Black Market
65 Transportation and Fuel
66 From Bad to Worse
67 Tommy the Resistor
68 The Dutch Resistance
69 Hair Raising Events
70 Crazy Tuesday
71 Our Second Invation
72 V1 and V2 Rockets
73 UFO'S?
74 Our First Raid
75 The Defence Line
76 The Last Raid
77 The Promise
78 Liberation
79 Day of Reckoning
80 Sunshine Again
81 Beginning of the End
82 A New Life - A New Era
83 The Rebirth
84 Love Life
85 Lesson Learned
86 The Noose
87 Loss of Pa and Ma
88 Looking Back
89 Noose of a Different Kind
90 Get Out
91 Reflection
92 Money Matters
93 A Killer Among Us
94 Settling Down
95 The Sea Voyage
96 Canada Oh Canada
97 On the Farm
98 The Swedish Plot
99 On the Road Again
100 Sioux Narrows
101 Millers Bridge Camp
102 Motlong's Canadian Camps
103 Prospecting
104 Cruise Ship
105 The Rescue
106 My Own Tractor
107 Albert and Julia
108 The Wolf Hunters
109 Other Events
110 Moving Again
111 Disaster in Our Fatherland
112 Going South
113 A New Place
114 A Real Family
115 Our Last Move?
116 A Rich Man's Dream
117 Modernizing
118 Our Fragile Life
119 Strong As a Horse
120 The Forward Look
121 Back to Work
122 Family Life
123 Dang Kids
124 Something New
125 Indispensable Medics
126 Look Ma, No Teeth
127 Moving for the Last Time?
128 From Country to City
129 Trouble: Our Middle Name
130 Settle Down for Good
131 City Life
132 Back at the Yard
133 Bionic or Lucky
134 The Leaking Exhaust
135 Thoughts for Today
136 Over the Hill
137 Photo Gallery 1
138 Photo Gallery 2
139 Photo Gallery 3
Obituary of Carl (Cornelis Gerardus) Kaas, February 28, 2015
~ Patterson Funeral Home Ltd.
HOME     Diary of Carl Kaas     Index Autobiography of Carl Kaas     Photo Gallery

OBITUARY

Carl (Cornelis Gerardus) Kaas
Passed away on 28 FEBRUARY, 2015

IN THE CARE OF
Patterson Funeral Home Ltd.

KAAS, Carl (Cornelis Gerardus) - Passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 28, 2015 in his 96th year. Beloved father of Bill (Joyce Veltri), Elly (Tom Broadhurst), John (Lisa Kirchmayer), Henry (Tara Leon), Mary Ann (Klaas Vanderploeg) and dear friend of Leonie Cohen. Predeceased by his loving wife of 55 years, Margaretha (2003). Proud grandfather to Joe (Alison Latimer), Jennifer, Peter (Ryan Morreale), David, Tony (Nicole Hoff), Andrew, Annie, Marten, Hank, Alina, Carly, Louise, Brendan, Anthony, Alex. Born in Hamersveld, Holland, Carl immigrated to Canada in 1948. He was sent to Manitoba as a farm hand and worked in Sioux Narrows as a licensed wilderness guide before settling in southern Ontario. A licensed mechanic by trade, Carl owned and operated his own service station in Port Robinson. Later he started Westside Auto Parts in Welland. By 1962, ambition took a new direction and he founded Westside Trucking, working until his retirement in 1978. He was a member of the GMC Motorhome Association and enjoyed travelling extensively throughout North America, spending winters at his vacation home in Florida. Carl will be remembered for his deep Catholic faith and love of his family. They will certainly miss his unique sense of humour, his adventurous spirit, and his creative ability to solve problems. He was a writer, in his own unique fashion, and Irene Lee has created a website, http://www.bydewey.com/kaasbio.html, of Carl's writings about life in Holland and his early life in Canada. The stories and pictures on the website give a good portrayal of his self-reliance, independence of character, and his humour. Being the ultimate recycler, Carl has donated his body to the McMaster University Anatomy Department to further the advancement of medical knowledge. A Memorial Mass will be held to celebrate Carl's life on Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 12:00 noon at St. Augustine of Canterbury Roman Catholic Church, 220 St. Augustine Avenue, Welland, Ontario. In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Augustine Church would be appreciated by the family. On-line condolences at www.pattersonfuneralhome.com