Wilhelmus (Wim) Hereijgers of Londonderry NH, formerly of Salem and Peabody, MA, died suddenly on Thursday May 10, 2012 at the age of 57. He leaves his wife of 33 years, Nancy (LaChapelle), and two sons, Adriaan and Kristiaan. Born in Roosendaal, Holland, Wim served two years in the Dutch Royal Navy, after which he worked at Koninklijke Phillips Electronic in the Netherlands. It was during a business trip to Norelco during the Blizzard of ’78, that he met his future wife at the Hawthorne Hotel. By years’ end, he had emigrated to the U.S.
In 1979, he went to work at Sylvania in Danvers, MA as a mechanical engineer. During his 33 year career at Sylvania, he designed and built state of the art machines that produce a full range of incandescent, fluorescent and halogen lamps. In 1989, Sylvania transferred him to Lexington Kentucky and then transferred him back to Massachusetts in 1993. Over the course of his career, he patented several products and was honored with a design award.
In his leisure time, Wim was a skilled builder and fine furniture maker. He was a beloved husband and father as well as a good friend and neighbor. As a younger man, he was an avid soccer player, playing semi-professionally both in Holland and Massachusetts. After his playing years, he was a coach for Peabody and Salem youth soccer
In addition to his wife and sons, he is survived by his mother, Adriaana Hereijgers, his brother in law Jan van et Ende, two nieces, Sharon and Stefanie van et Ende, all of Roosendaal, Netherlands. In the US, he is survived by two sisters in law and their husbands: Lynn and Gerard Lavoie and Laurie LaChapelle and David Leach of Salem, MA, and many nieces and nephews: James LaChapelle of Freemont, NH, Stacey (LaChapelle) Abbatessa of Danvers, MA, Julie (LaChapelle) Macsata of Beverly, MA, Brian Lavoie of Rowley, MA, Brett Lavoie of Arlington, VA and Victoria and Nathaniel Leach of Salem, MA. He was predeceased by his father Adriaan Hereijgers and his sister Rian van et Ende, and parents- in- law, Albert and Marilyn LaChapelle as well as a brother- in- law, Marc LaChapelle.
Relatives and friends are invited to gather on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at the Levesque Funeral Home, 163 Lafayette St. [Rt. 114 / 1-A] Salem, MA at 9:45 A.M. to be followed by his funeral mass in Ste. Anne Church, 290 Jefferson Ave., Salem at 11:00 A.M. Visiting hours: are on Monday 4 to 8 P.M. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery, Salem. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to, Londonderry High School, c/o Jason Parent, Principal, for the Soccer Team, or the Swim Team, or the Marching Band, 295 Mammoth Rd., Londonderry, NH 03053. For guestbook and additional information, please visit www.LevesqueFunerals.com