Elly Z. van der Leeden

SPRINGFIELD- Elly (Zimmerman) van der Leeden, 92, passed away on June 15, 2018; surrounded by her loving family.Elly was born in The Hague, The Netherlands on September 17, 1925, a daughter of the late Albert Martinus Johannes and Johanna (Zondag) Zimmerman. She was a Springfield area resident most of her adult life. Elly taught twenty years at Springfield Warner Elementary School, nine years at Agawam South Elementary School, and retired in 1997 from Pioneer Valley Christian School. As a young woman she survived the five-year Nazi occupation of The Netherlands during World War II. After immigrating in 1949, she earned her teaching degree at Elms College. She loved the ocean and spent many summers at the beaches of RI. Her favorite moments were spent with her family and her beloved pets,tending her garden,swimming in her pool and watching the Dutch Oranje National futbol team. Besides her parents, Elly was predeceased by her sister Ina Kolstee. She is survived by her three children, Alfred van der Leeden (Ruth) of East Longmeadow, Clara van der Leeden (Dean Parker) of Longmeadow, Dr. Marc van der Leeden (Joyce) of Longmeadow. She also leaves three sisters, Anne-Marie Voigt of The Netherlands, Marijke Brown and Anita Rostowski both of Wilbraham, six grandchildren; Lisa, Lynn, Erik, Laura, Erica and David and thirteen great grandchildren. Her services were private, with no calling hours. Assisting the family was the Forastiere Smith Family Funeral Home, East Longmeadow. Please visit www.forastiere.com to offer a personal note of condolence.