Your network has brought me a message I had never hoped to receive.

Besides dealing with my own grief regarding the loss of my 1st mentor/coach in my professional life - which turned to be of fundamental influence - I would like indeed to express my warmest thoughts to all of you sharing in this loss. Hope you'll find strength in the huge gathering that will surely take place this Monday.

As over the years our paths always crossed once a year somehow, somewhere and when we did our catching-up, I have decided Ton, to see you in your house tomorrow for a latest personal encounter.

You had still a whole life to live and are indeed leaving a huge hole in many personal and professional lives.

Love,
Susanne Boom

Dear Ton,
I have had the pleasure to work with you and I will remember you by the word of Stamina. In the beginning when I started at IRC you learned me the meaning of Stamina, which means physical or moral strength to resist or withstand illness, fatigue, or hardship; endurance. It also means enduring energy, strength, and resilience. That is how I see you and I'm sad that you are no longer here.
I wish your family and friends strength for the coming time and good memories.
Warm regards, Angela

Ton and I share the same birthday - 20 years apart - but we had so much else in common and it was a pleasure to get to know him through his role as the Chair of RWSN and sharing meals and working together at Oxford University last year, in the misty cloisters of those dreaming spires. He was such a pleasure to spend time with and his gentle humour, humility, and ideas were real inspiration for all of us working in WASH.
I miss him.

"Mais les vrais voyageurs sont ceux-là seuls qui partent
Pour partir, coeurs légers, semblables aux ballons,
De leur fatalité jamais ils ne s'écartent,
Et, sans savoir pourquoi, disent toujours : Allons !"
Charles Baudelaire Le voyage

Good people leave good memories which is always cherished by others. Their deeds and work remains immortal and keep reminding of their presence in the sector, personal life and in the society. May his soul rest in peace!

Ton's departure leaves a void in our hearts; we remember his pleasing presence in recent dinner of my doctorate graduation in Delft, the news was very sad to me and my family, but his memory fills us with light at this time, we miss his presence, his smiles, his serenity and his words, but Ton always remain alive in our thoughts. Here in Colombia will not forget his teachings. For his family strength to face this time.

Luis Darío Sánchez, Claudia y Laura,
Univalle- Cinara, Cali, Colombia.

Vanavond vernam ik het vreselijke bericht dat Ton plotseling is overleden. Ton zo onlosmakelijk verbonden met al die brigades van El Sol,
zo heb ik hem vele jaren meegemaakt op de Hunneschans;
altijd weer vol energie en creativiteit met aandacht voor de deelnemers van de brigades , maar ook zeker met aandacht voor het doel van het project.
Ook Jean, en onze kinderen Joost en Sophie waren nauw betrokken bij het project, zeker in de periode dat Ton bij ons in huis woonde.

Helaas kan ik, bij het afscheid van Ton, donderdag en maandag niet aanwezig zijn omdat ik in het buitenland ben.

Namens Jean, Joost en Sophie wens ik jullie sterkte bij het afscheid van deze goede vriend.

Marie-Antoinette de Veth

Ton was sinds nog niet zolang, een jaar of 2 geloof ik, lid van onze roeivereniging DDS. Met zijn blonde kop was hij aanwezig op het vlot, de borrel en de eetavond. Hij heeft veel mensen geraakt, velen en ik op de club zijn geraakt door zijn overlijden.
Veel sterkte aan de familie en vrienden van Ton!

Dear Ton,
Hearing the news of you not being with us anymore made me very sad. You still had so much to give.... I think of your always generous and lovely way of being with everyone, your smart look and your incredible dedication to all the good and very professional work I had the chance to admire. Now I like to think that your last moments were dedicated to enjoying life!