Etie (Ellen) Grypma-James

Etie (Ellen) Grypma-James passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 5, at the age of 74. She will be greatly missed by her husband Peter, her sons David and Stuart (Ana), and her devoted grandchildren Kristina and Nicholas. Ellen leaves behind her siblings John (Lomi), Gerry (Liz), Martin, Sylvia, Anne, Robert (Dawn), and Raymond (Lisa), as well as many nieces, nephews, and members of several extended families. She was predeceased by her brother Harold.

Born in Canada to Dutch immigrants Rense and Anna Grypma, Ellen was the first child in her family. Her first language was Frisian, which she remained fluent in throughout her life; she learned Dutch at church and English at school. In the late 1960s she began developing her skills in photography. She graduated in 1971 as a Registered Nursing Assistant from Kingston General Hospital. While travelling in Europe in 1974, she met her future husband Peter in Switzerland. The couple married in Odessa, Ontario, in 1976, then moved to England where their sons David and Stuart were born. In 1983 the family returned to Canada and settled in Ottawa.

Ellen built her nursing career at Extendicare New Orchard Lodge, where she also represented her fellow employees at local and national levels with the SEIU union. She retired in 2013. She loved the outdoors and was an avid traveller, camper, cyclist, skier, and swimmer. She encouraged her sons in many sporting and outdoor pursuits and ensured they became strong swimmers. Her Dutch heritage was evident in the beautiful garden she created, filled with a wide variety of plants and flowers. She was also a skilled cook who happily passed those abilities on to her sons. Photography remained a lifelong passion, especially during family adventures.

Later in life Ellen was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, yet she continued to travel and enjoy extended holidays, including a memorable cruise on a traditional sailboat in the Netherlands where she was delighted to speak Frisian again with the crew. She remained at home as her illness progressed, supported by her family and visiting PSWs and nurses. In her final days she received compassionate care from the Palliative Care team at the ACE Unit of the Queensway-Carleton Hospital. Her family is deeply grateful to all the nurses and medical professionals who cared for her over the years.