Rein Wolters

Rein Wolters, born January 28, 1933 in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, passed away peacefully at home in Boise, Idaho, USA, surrounded by loved ones on September 14, 2021 at age 88.

As a young boy, Rein endured the occupation of the Nazi Germans in the Netherlands during WW2 where he lost a brother in a camp at Bergen Belsen. Rein witnessed many events during this time, including the paratroopers dropped during the Market Garden campaign which became the backdrop for the movie, A Bridge Too Far. He encountered immense suffering and loss, but kept his wits, his drive, and his humor.

Years after liberation, he met and married another war survivor, Johanna “Joanne” Lodewijk. At the young age of 24, Rein and his bride boarded a plane for the adventure of a lifetime and immigrated to Canada where they became citizens. After twelve years in Canada, the couple continued their journey onto the United States.

The road to the U.S. started in Hamilton, Ontario Canada and went from Pennsylvania west where Rein and Joanne settled in Boise, Idaho. Rein, Joanne and their children became proud citizens of the United States in 1976.

Rein worked for twenty years at Intermountain Gas Company as a technician and on his off-time he put his energy into buying, remodeling, and flipping houses. Because of his savvy and skillful ways, Rein and Joanne were able to retire young and buy the Caldwell Campground to spend their sunset years. Little did the couple know, this new chapter was one of their bigger ones in their life story.

After retirement, Rein and Joanne became snowbirds in Yuma and made lifelong friends and memories in their second home in Arizona.

Rein and Joanne were married for 64 years, having two sons, Randy (Jaci), and Jody “JR” (Lynda), and three grandchildren, Brandon (Shelley), Hannah (Connor), and Ryan (Ace), and one great-grandchild, Claira Grace. 

Rein was preceded in death by his family in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, his father Johannes, mother Margaretha, brothers Garrit and Johannes, and sisters Leny and Jannie.