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Jo de Bont

by Truus van Erp

Jo was the son of Koos de Bont and Anna Reuser He was the second child of a family of 4 children (2 girls and and 2 boys) and was born at 18 December 1924 in Dreumel.

	◄ L-R: Jo, father Koos, sister Leida, mother Anna and sister Koosje ► Rooijsestraat 97, the parental home of Jo de Bont. The street iwas still paved with clinkers.

Jo was carpenter and an employee of his father who was a building contractor. After the war there was no money and therefore no work, so few earnings. Therefore Jo and his future wife Tonnie van Thiem from Beneden Leeuwen decided to emigrate to Australia.

At 26 March 1952 Jo married his Tonnie in Beneden - Leeuwen and on 28 March they left for Melbourne by boat.

During the trip by boat the men and women were separated by night. Of course this was not nice for a just- married couple.

After 6 weeks they arrived in Melbourne. They were received by a father who helped them to get work. (this father had especially been appointed to help emigrants).

Back L-R. Nol v. Thiem, Aai Martens, uncle The v.Thiem, Lina v Thiem, Joke v. Thiem, Jo and Tonnie, Bets v.Thiem, Antoon de Bont, Cor v. Thiem, Koosje de Bont,, seated L-R: Wim and Regina v.Thiem-Fransen and Koos and Anna de Bont-Reuser.

	n the beginning it was hard life. People had to work much time. But after a certain number of years Jo could earn good money as a building contractor/ carpenter. Together with his wife Tonnie they had three children: Rina, Annie and Johnny. In the meantime they have six grandchildren. In 1977 they visited the Netherlands for the first time and in 1979 once again. ◄Jo and Tonnie with their children.
1985: at the age of 61 years Jo was attacked by a haemorrhage in the brains during building activities. He was found in this situatioen (presumably fallen from the scaffolding). After this, he had been paralysed at one side and he had lost his power of speech. At the age of 69 years Jo died. His wife Tonnie died about 10 years later owing to a fatal illness.
	Jo built also his own house in Australia.

	Daughter Rina lives in Victoria. She speaks Dutch a little bit. Together with her husband she visited the Netherlands some times, also after the decease of her parents. Son Johnny visited our country too, but he does not speak Dutch at all. ◄ daughter Rina visitingj Al and Koos Jansen - de Bont in Beneden- Leeuwen.