Gerdy Joyce Yvonne Melitz, beloved mother to Menno Melitz and Siea Newton, of Calgary, AB, passed away on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at the age of 77 years. She was deeply loved and will be dearly missed for her endless ability to listen and lift the spirits of others.
Gerdy was born on March 29, 1949, in Haarlem, the Netherlands, as the youngest of four children. Gerdy shared many fond memories of spending her summer months with her brother and sister, vacationing on the Island of Mallorca, as a teenager. The sun-filled days were made up of morning swims, followed by afternoon sailing trips. Her older brother, Anthon, introduced her to Johan. As soon as Gerdy finished nursing school, she embarked on a three-week-long voyage by boat to join Johan in Suriname.
In the early days of living in Suriname together, she worked as a nurse, and her life of service began. While in Suriname, they started their family with the birth of their son, Menno, and once they moved back to the Netherlands, Siea was born. In the Netherlands, she continued her nursing, supporting individuals through mental health crises. When Johan’s career started taking him to the Far East, Gerdy put all her focus on her family. Johan’s career would often take him away for weeks at a time, deep into the jungles of Indonesia. Gerdy would navigate, learning the customs and the ways of living, in each new place. She made sure that her children and husband always had a stable family home through every new adventure.
At the age of 42, Gerdy and her family moved to Canada to farm in the Lethbridge, AB, area. Gerdy worked alongside Johan on the farms for many years. After winding down the farms, they built up a North American long-haul trucking company and owned a Lethbridge-based taxi business. Supporting her family was Gerdy’s guiding force, and through all the adventures, she was the glue that bound her family together. Committed to the well-being of others, she and Johan set up the Bernhard Melitz Foundation, aimed primarily at supporting efforts to provide basic education in developing countries. Since Johan’s passing, she moved to Calgary to be closer to her grandchildren, who affectionately called her Omama.
Gerdy is survived by her son, Menno (Kerry) Melitz, of Edmonton, and daughter, Siea (Jason) Newton, of Calgary. Gerdy is also survived by two grandchildren, Reid and Julia Newton; and by her sister, Edith.
Gerdy was predeceased by her beloved husband, Johan Melitz; and by her brothers, Anthon and Rudy.
Gerdy’s family will remember her for her endless ability to listen, her sense of humour, her seemingly effortless and always pleasurable, uplifting companionship.
