HEEMSKERK, John T. Of Needham, passed away peacefully on February 22, 2017. He was 93. Born in Hillegom, The Netherlands, on June 7, 1923, he was the son of the late Bartholomew and Marie Heemskerk. Beloved husband of the late Hendrika (Rika) Heemskerk. Devoted father of Judy H. MacDonald and her husband James of Natick; Jean H. Wellington and her late husband Kenneth of Needham; George P. Shooter and his wife Catherine of Scarborough, ME; and Charles H. Shooter of Needham. Loving grandfather of Dr. Jenna O’Connell and her husband Joseph of Dedham; James MacDonald of Los Angeles, CA; Erica Wellington and her husband Dr. David Atherton of Bozeman, MT; Christopher Wellington of N. Oxford; Lisa Curro of Hudson; and Lori Scanlon of Chilmark. Also survived by 3 great-grandchildren. Brother of Anton of The Netherlands, Henriette Dekker of England, and William of Bradenton, FL. Late member of the Beekeepers Associations of Norfolk, Middlesex and Essex Counties, the Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association and the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. Longtime consultant to the Wellesley College Grounds and Landscape Department.
A memorial service will be held on April 8, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at The Union Church in Waban, 14 Collins Road, Waban, MA. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 900 Washington St., Wellesley, MA 02482.