Henk de Vries
2025
At 3:08 pm on Friday, Henk weighed anchor, raised the sails, and sailed off into the sunset.
His adored wife Wendy and his beloved daughter and son, Nina and Pieter,
were on the dock to release his lines and bid him farewell.
Waving from a distance was his cherished sister Fenny Bloemink,
his daughter-in-law Leslie, and beautiful grandson Sebastian.
Henk will be deeply missed by all who knew him, especially his nieces, nephews,
and extended family in Canada, The Netherlands, and the U.K.,
as well as his multitude of friends around the world.
The end was fast, but only to be expected from a race car driver.
Henk was a charismatic Dutch-Canadian adventurer who grew up with his two sisters
in war-torn Amsterdam, surviving the “hunger winter” of 1944/45.
After studying auto techniques in college, he served in the Transport Division
of the Dutch army before taking up rallying and car racing.
He became the Director of the Anti-Skid School at the Zandvoort Grand Prix Race Track,
where he taught the art of Skid Control to many famous race car drivers,
including Jim Clarke and Graham Hill.
In 1966, Henk emigrated to Canada and partnered with BP Oil to open
the first of two Skid Schools. While operating these schools,
he raced Porsches and Mini Coopers on weekends at the Mosport racetrack near Toronto.
Eventually, he returned to his first love—racing and cruising yachts.
He spent countless hours sailing with his family around Lake Ontario and the Thousand Islands.
Always seeking bigger adventures, Henk twice sailed across the Atlantic Ocean,
braving storms in the Bay of Biscay, navigating the Bermuda Triangle,
and exploring the Caribbean Islands and the Atlantic seaboard.
His loss to his family is immense, but he will always be remembered
for his catchphrase “hello beautiful,” which he used indiscriminately and to great effect.
The family extends heartfelt thanks to Dr. Reynolds and all the staff
at the Golden Plough Lodge, as well as Dr. Mule and the palliative care team at NHH.
Your kindness and care will never be forgotten.
A Celebration of Life will be held at
MacCoubrey Funeral Home, 30 King Street East, Cobourg, Ontario,
on May 16, 2025, at 1:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to
Northumberland Hills Hospital, The Northumberland Humane Society,
or BC Children’s Hospital.
Condolences and memories may be shared at
