This little corner by the log fire… One of her preferred seats
The crackling of burning wood as the only sound.
Her favorite pictures displayed.
She spent her last moments here.
Before going away thinking that she would still come back here for a long time…
Fly Emmy
You will be eternal down here.
We love you
Thanks
Dear friends,
We want to express our deep gratitude for your expressions of sympathy, support, and the shared memories, filled with a lot of emotions.
On December 19th, her family and close ones celebrated her exceptionally rich and fulfilling life, retracing her journey across three continents with amusing anecdotes and fondly viewed images.
Emmy has left an indelible mark on each of us with her bright philosophy of life, an infinite source of positivity and love. A lesson in serenity and tolerance. With her incredible vitality and radiant energy, until the very last moment she reminded us of the importance of savouring every moment.
She was a model of generosity and kindness. Let us not be sad and honor her legacy by continuing to embrace life with the same joy she embodied so wonderfully.
❤️
With deep gratitude,
Emmy's family
"the train of my life"
by Jean d’Ormesson
At birth, we board the train and meet our parents.
And we believe they will always travel with us.
However, at one station, our parents will get off the train,
leaving us alone to continue the journey…
As time passes,
other people board the train.
And they will be important: our siblings, friends, children,
even the love of our life.
Many will resign (even the love of our life)
and leave a greater or lesser void.
Others will be so discreet
that no one will realise they have left their seats.
This train journey will be full of joys, sorrows, expectations,
hellos, goodbyes and farewells.
Success is having good relationships with all passengers
as long as we give the best of ourselves.
We don't know which station we will get off at.
So let's live happily, love and forgive!
It is important to do this, because when we get off the train,
we should leave only beautiful memories for those who continue their journey...
Let us be happy with what we have and thank the heavens for this fantastic journey.
Also, thank you for being one of the passengers on my train.
And if I have to get off at the next station,
I'm happy to have walked part of the way with you!
Obituary
A mother is so many things.
it’s told with the heart,
like a large bouquet of roses
it’s part of happiness.
Her husband: Jean Marie Spozio
Her children:
Nathalie Zbinden-Spozio et Pierre-Eric, Tramelan
Patrick Spozio and Fanny, Rossemaison
Philippe and Miriam Spozio, Great Ayton UK
Her grandchildren:
Christophe and Loriana Zbinden, Julie and Nicolas Widmer, Tiffany Spozio. Florine and Pacal Guelat, Shawn Spozio and Amelia, Luca Spozio and Catie.
Her Great grandchildren: Oceane, Livya, …,
Her sister, brothers, and their families in California
Her daughter in law and family: Francoise and Neil Cartledge, Melbourne
Along with relatives and friends, announce with sorrow the passing of
EMMY SPOZIO
Who passed away suddenly following a brief hospitalization in her 82nd year.
The celebration of her life will take place on Tuesday 19th December at 13h 30 in the Chaliere chapel in Moutier.
Emmy rests at the Chaliere cemetery pavilion in Moutier.
Rue du Petit-Val 4, 2740 Moutier, 16th December 2023
Her life began in Indonesia, on the island of Java.
She goes through the Netherlands to then arrive in California.
Emmy was born on the Indonesian island of Java on September 7, 1942, to a Dutch father and a mother of Indonesian origin.
Her first name wasn't Emmy, it was Emma!
Her full name was Emma Augustina Geertruida Maria Heyman.
She was the penultimate of a family of 9 children. She only had one sister and had to “fight” with 7 brothers. All great Dutchmen, very athletic and footballers, with whom she shared the passion and practice of this sport.
Her first ball game was football.
Her two mother tongues, Dutch and Javanese.
At the time, Indonesia was still a Dutch colony.
But in 1950, it became independent following the revolution. This event leads them to reach the Netherlands, not by train, but by boat. At the time a journey of several months.
It was there, in the Netherlands or rather in Holland, as she said, that she continued her compulsory education, without ever missing a single day of school due to illness, she proudly told us.
In her entire life, we hardly remember seeing her sick.
In 1961, his older brother, who worked in the navy, discovered the California Eldorado. It motivated the whole family to move there. Not by boat, nor by train, but by plane.
She finished her schooling there, in English, her third language.
From Indonesia to California
THE meeting and arrival in Switzerland.
It was there, in California, that in January 1962, at her workplace, she met a young Swiss who had come to practice his talents as a lathe machine technician.
He also came with his skis to trace a few curves on the snowy slopes of the distant Californian mountains (yes, there are some, right next door, barely 1 hour away).
Unfortunately, this handsome man does not yet speak English... but German.
Fortunately, in the Netherlands, German, ultimately a language not too far from Dutch, is learned at school. It was thus her 4th language.
She has no trouble understanding the word "einladen", hence the invitation offered to her by this handsome tanned man.
Here they are, both on the same train for a very long journey.
Very quickly she wanted to present her conquest during a family reunion.
20 people were all gathered in the main room when her Romeo entered. Coming back from a day of sculling in the Californian snow, he had on his ski boots (which looked like thick leather walking shoes). Arriving and walking at pace using long strides, no doubt in a hurry to see his sweetheart, he tripped his feet in the carpet to finish his run flat on his stomach in the middle of his completely stunned future in-laws.
I'll let you imagine the gliding flight and especially the landing of a suitor disguised as a skier amidst worried, then amused looks.
Following the return to Switzerland (of her future ski teacher) and certainly with the authorization of her brothers, it was in April 1963 that she joined him in Switzerland for the first time.
Just for a week. 7 days, but only 6 nights, she specified!
Having landed at Basel airport, it is via the Moutier gorges that she arrived at his village. It's here! She exclaimed with fear when she saw the Moutier sign.
You don't pay attention to it, but every time I pass by, I think about it and will continue to smile at this story.
Indeed, the panel is placed at the narrowest place in the Moutier gorges. Frankly, the narrowness of the place is enough to worry even the most open-minded about the prospect of taking up residence there.
A few months later, during the winter of 1963-1964, she returned for two weeks. The story does not specify, this time, the number of nights.
The reception takes place again at Basel airport. At the time, we waited for passengers almost at the foot of the plane. A long wait, even very long when no one comes out and the long-awaited passenger does not appear. To stand a hunter up would be the last straw.
But after many endless minutes, here is Mademoiselle who shows up. After landing, she took the time to make herself beautiful (which frankly wasn't necessary according to the main witness).
At the end of 1964, she made another trip to Switzerland, this time, it was going to be necessary to play strategically to not let her leave again.
But during the flight, her plane caught fire and had to crash land near Newfoundland in Canada.
When she told us this story, our questions were whether she had been scared. Her answer ‘’no, not at all’’. Her philosophy was: what's the point of worrying if nothing can be done about it!
This philosophy applies to opposite situations. She also told us, why worry if there is a solution, we just must apply it.
Her lover, very impatient to find her (we understand) had come to wait for her in Amsterdam, the last stopover before Switzerland. It was there that he heard the news of this near accident. The telegram informed him of an arrival at 3 o'clock in Amsterdam, without giving further details. Without information or a telephone number, the meeting was difficult to organise. Finally, love would bridge the gap and allow this meeting on the tarmac of Amsterdam airport, ... it is indeed 3:00 a.m. Once on the tarmac this time, he did not have to wait long to see emerge from the cabin a huge Mexican hat under which the beauty was hiding.
Barely arriving in Moutier, she took part in her first Alpine club indoor training. She enters the field in the middle of a football game, catches a ball in the air with her foot and with a masterful scissors kick, scored a goal under the stunned gaze of everyone.
Moreover, believing that "wife" was her nickname, everyone called her that for two years, even though it was the sweet little nickname normally reserved for his darling.
Then it was the first ski lesson, at the Graitery mountain. On an almost flat section, she puts her skis down and... watches them slide away (at the time, there was no ski binding brakes).
A few days later, she climbs the Raimeux in touring skis, via the Gore Virat, and had to cross, in mountaineer mode, the large snow cornice which gives access to the plateau on which the chalet is located. Finally, the day's train stops at the 1st farm and that's where she dozes off on the ‘Kunscht’ or ‘bench stove’.
Then everything comes together!
The famous strategy works wonderfully. Emmy becomes pregnant.
The story goes that it was in the middle of a tennis game that she announced to her future husband: “I think I’m pregnant.” The latter then addresses Father Brahier, at the time a missionary in Tibet, but back for a while in Switzerland wearing his long dress, who is mowing the tall grass in the field just behind the tennis courts. The future couple ask him to lead the wedding ceremony.
It’s July 24, 1965, right in the middle of the holidays. There was urgency. The ceremony takes place in the very beautiful and modern church of Vicques.
As my grandmother said: ‘’your father wanted to marry a good skier... he ended up marrying a woman who had never seen snow’’.
Arrival in Switzerland
There she is, Mum- the prettiest and kindest Mum.
Here the train sets off again and all the anecdotes follow one another.
For example, to welcome her family who are coming to visit their new El Dorado, she would like to accommodate them in this beautiful hotel, with all its beautiful flowers in the windows, in the middle of Moutier.
Um... but no,...’Hotel de Ville’ means ‘town hall’.
She also saw, that summer, that a film had been showing at the local cinema for 3 weeks. It must be good, she said. Its title is “Relache” meaning there are no showings
But the months pass and the first wave arrives on October 21, 1965 - Here is Nathalie.
Followed, less than 11 months later - I did not count the number of nights - followed by Patrick, on September 26, 1966.
As for the Tsunami, he arrived on December 22, 1967 and it was Philippe who was the ‘terror’.
My sister and I are lucky to have him as a little brother. Indeed, if he had been the first, my parents would not have taken the risk of having a second child!
An uncle to whom I read this paragraph yesterday spoke of ‘Monster’ rather than Tsunami 😉.
But over the years, he has become an adorable chick.
She therefore became a professional mother while contributing to the running of her husband's business.
She learned French at the same time as her children.
French is therefore her 5th language.
When she was telling us off in Dutch, we didn't understand anything, but we knew it was to be taken very seriously.
It was also in this mother tongue that she sang nursery rhymes to us to calm us down or amuse us.
This custom continued through the generations, and today, it is her great-granddaughters to whom we sing her nursery rhymes.
I remember she drove a car the size of her large family, a MINI Cooper. At the time, it bore their MINI name very well.
When the last of us started school, we worried that she would be bored at home alone. That is what she led us to believe for a long time.
What can we say about her cuisine, sometimes Dutch, sometimes Indonesian.
We enjoyed satay, spring rolls, bami-goreng, soy chicken and chili or peanut butter sauce.
She introduced us to lots of exotic fruits, even the Migros salespeople asked her for advice on how to prepare and eat them.
Almost once a year, we had a visit from our grandmother from California. As we had an uncle who worked at Matel, she came with 2 large suitcases full of toys. We were among the first children in Switzerland to have the new Barbie for Nathalie and Scalextric set for the boys.
A very pretty mother
An ultra-sporty life.
She started playing lots of different sports: tennis, basketball, then volleyball, which would take a big place in her life. But also, more Swiss sports like cross-country skiing, alpine skiing and ski touring.
In her volleyball team, she was old enough to be the mother of all the players on her team!
In tennis, she won several tournaments and the Jura County championships in women's doubles with Nane.
Professionally, she works with and supports her husband in his craziest projects. In fact I'm using euphemisms here, both for the word "support" and for the word "crazy."
As if the daily work was not enough, as if the daily sport was only a warm-up, the holidays had to be SPORTY. The thing that no one does. For nearly 2 decades, vacations rhymed with trekking. No, not a day trip. But the complete back packed (15 to 23 kg) to explore the Alps or the Ticino mountains for several days, in complete autonomy.
My brother and I were able to accompany them a few times and we made incredible memories. Our sister also got into it, in another style, a little later.
Well, it must be admitted that almost every year, there was still a break in the middle of the holidays.
This break was necessary to participate in Sierre-Zinal (Running race in the Alps). She will participate 6 times and the final time at the age of 60.
These trekking holidays are the most relaxing for the mind. It’s a real quest for the essential. Find your way, find water and flat ground for the night, eat what you have, a piece of cheese, some dry bread, sleep on a 5-millimeter-thick foam pad, wait for the first rays of the sun to warm you up in the tent, to get out of your sleeping bag. But it also means finding yourself in the middle of a Ticino storm, having lightning strikes a few meters from you and managing your vertigo. Emmy did it all with a smile - except for the vertigo, undoubtedly a Dutch heritage.
Accomplished poly-athlete
A life of sharing with family or friends.
Her exceptional life was rich, fulfilled and filled with moments shared with family, friends or keeping busy with her hobbies.
Her garden, her salads and vegetables, her aromatic herbs, her green plants and her flowers took a beautiful place in her life.
There was also a sacred rhythm for the tennis games with her friends and with her husband.
She must have played it on average at least 3 times a week, until 10 days before her departure.
In summer, the swimming pool was part of a daily program.
There were also weekly Qi Gong sessions to keep her in shape.
********************
Text from her tennis friends:
Our small group, which has been meeting for decades to share a moment of conviviality while playing tennis, has lost with Emmy not only a faithful partner, but above all a true friend.
It was always a pleasure to meet her on Monday morning: her calm, her kindness, her smile accompanied us during many games. She was admired for her sense of the game, her unrivaled elegance and never contested disputed balls.
Goodbye Emmy, we will miss you and rest assured that our Monday doubles will not be the same without you. We will think of you for a long time, we will not forget you.
Your tennis friends.
**********************
Between two activities there was plenty of room for a walk on ‘Les Raimeux’, with an obligatory stop at the chalet and quickly, while passing a fishing trip in the ‘Gore Virat’ or the ‘Rausse’ where she had her places, to take out a few trouts.
A well-paced and busy daily routine.
A busy life
A grandmother and great-grandmother of absolute tenderness.
And then the children grew up and flew away and brought her grandchildren, 6 in total
Christophe in 1990
Tiffany and Julie in 1993
Florine in 1996
Shawn in 2001 and Luca in 2003
She was absolutely tender with each of them. To realise, to know how nice she was to you. Well with her grandchildren it was x 1000.
*************************
Text from her granddaughter Julie, mother of her first great-granddaughter Océane.
Grandma, 💫
When I didn't see you come running last Tuesday, to spend our usual afternoon between four generations, I was far from imagining that there wouldn't be any more. 👩👩👧👧
We've known each other by heart for 30 years 💓 and we've never been apart for more than a few weeks. The hardest part is for those who remain and are yet to come.
You taught me life, passed on your generosity, instilled values, gave me a taste for sport, tennis, volleyball and all the others...
You raised me, but here it is you who raise yourself. Next time I fly, I'll fly a little closer to you. If you stretch your feet enough, I might even be able to give you a massage ☁️ and for free, that will be my gift 💸
Each butterfly, I will know and Océane too, that it is you. 🦋 Each pebble and precious stone, the next, I will teach her it's you 📿💍
*************************
Texts from the grandchildren: Shawn & Luca
We thought we’d speak in English for this part of the ceremony to showcase how multinational grand-maman Emmy really was.
Also because our French isn’t very good.
Our grandma was a kind, loving soul,
Affectionate and attentive.
She meant the world to us as I’m sure she did to everyone here today.
Grand-maman would be there no matter how you were feeling, if you were hurt she would be there, if you were sad she would be there, but there was no reason to be sad when you were in the company of such a positive woman.
Grand-maman would remember exactly what we liked and make sure that it was there when we arrived in Switzerland.
I can always remember visiting every Easter, and without fail, there would be a big chocolate easter bunny with grand-maman waiting behind it with a big smile on her face. Then when it was time to go back to the UK the same would happen - she’d give us chocolate to go home with too. I think it was because she knew how terrible the chocolate in England is.
I have a tune in my head every time I cross the Swiss border thanks to our grand-maman, a Dutch one, a nursery rhyme: Zo gaan de damespaardjes, Zo gaan de damespaardjes, Zo gaan de damespaardjes, Zo gaan de herenpaarden…. Paard op hol . It’s a nursery rhyme she would sing to us when we were young, I’m sure all of my cousins had the same rhyme sung to them, maybe even our parents too.
These are just a few of the memories we have had with grand-maman
To finish the speech off, I thought I’d give a different perspective on death, because although it was very very sad in the hospital room, watching her take her last breaths. It was also magical to see all of the life that she had brought into the world as well, and seeing everyone there supporting her through her final journey.
***********************
But there was still a little room and what better way to fill it than with great-grandchildren.
A beautiful gift arrived 2 days before her 80th birthday and is called Océane. And barely a month later, on October 9, here is Livya.
Océance, living 3 minutes from her house, she could watch her twice a week and meetings with Livya were always a moment of absolute happiness.
Do you know many great-grandmothers who are able to lie down on the ground or get on all fours to play with their great-grandchildren?
**********************
Text from her granddaughter Florine, mother of her second great-granddaughter Livya
My little grandmother,
We will miss your kisses
where you sniffed our cheeks
Your apples peeled in one go,
Your nursery rhymes in Dutch,
Your patience through all tests
Your eternal little accent
And all those little nothings that made everything.
You were a wonderful grandmother,
Full of tenderness and life lessons,
Instilled casually, little by little.
In addition to this role played wonderfully, you had played the role of great-grandmother
for a year.
We noted more than once
how lucky Océane and Livya
were to have a great-grandmother,
who played with them, lying on the ground.
We would have liked you to know them all and much longer,
That you would continue to perpetuate the nursery rhyme that we talked about so much,
That you would teach them too
your vision of life,
You were impressively lively,
Without ever an ounce of malice.
Kindness should be called Emmy
And then kindness too.
Every month, you received a gazette
So as not to miss the progress of your two chicks,
I hope that you will continue to leaf through it
Because the address has been changed
Heading to paradise
I know it my little grandmother, in hearing that, you smile.
Before leaving,
True to yourself,
You waited for us,
Reunited and brought together,
Just before Christmas to remind us,
above all, to celebrate you.
My little grandmother,
We wish you a good trip,
Fly away to join your angels,
Up there, you can play tennis,
do shi gong,
have a beautiful vegetable garden
and thousands of your favorite plants
Watch over us ,
We will watch over grandpa
And we will continue to make you live,
Through our hearts, you are there,
Our memories, your sweet voice,
It will resonate forever,
At the height of the love,
That you gave us given
during these 81 beautiful years
We love you so very much.
********************
The train of her life took Emmy for a final trip to England for the wedding of Philippe (the terror calmed) and Miriam (who is certainly a big part of his British spirit), on July 29th 2023.
A beautiful wedding. We were lucky with the weather, because in the North of England, where we were, summer only lasts one day and that was that day!
*********************
Message from her daughter in law -Miriam
Emmy, a very special lady who lived life to the full, with gentle bravery and adventure. You showed kindness and warmth to all. Your legacy lives on in the family you cherished and the special memories they now hold.
Just a small comment on the ‘gentle bravery and adventure’, I can vividly remember that she had few goes at air gliding on her own down the mountain just behind here. Something that I never dared attempt. So she was actually very daring.
********************
On September 7th, for her 81st birthday, I asked her what would she like to do? She said: A tennis session. It was a nice practice session.
Great-grandma
End of the trip, Emmy gets off the train.
And then, back to the routine with prospects of traveling a little more. Tennis games were planned, as were the rest of the usual activities.
Monday December 11th, she was in great shape.
The next day, she began to feel tired.
On Wednesday she was feeling really tired, sitting in her recliner in front of her fireplace all day.
When evening came, she could not get up.
She was taken to the Moutier Hospital, then overnight to the intensive care unit of the Bienne Hospital Center. She arrived there in a worrying state, a virus attacks her heart. But one hope remains, on Thursday evening a remarkable improvement occurs. Hope grew further on Friday when doctors identified the virus and administered the drug capable of fighting it. Unfortunately, the effects are negligible and on Saturday evening, while we were all gathered at her house in Moutier, the phone rang and the head doctor tells us that her condition is rapidly deteriorating. We travelled to her side and she was surrounded by her entire family when she takes her last breath. It is Saturday December 16th 2023 as she arrives at Paradise station at 9:07 p.m. Nothing was left to chance, even her departure time had to be a sign, linked to her date of birth. 7th of the 9th.
End of a fantastic journey
Thank you for everything and have a great trip!
This latest illustration is a drawing by her granddaughter Florine. A tribute to her life, which began in Indonesia, illustrating the Raimeux chalet, the sports she practiced, the plants and herbs she grew, her life's journey by train and the butterfly mentioned by Julie in her message.
Thank you to you who accompanied Emmy throughout her extraordinary journey. Each memory, each exchange, each gesture of affection contributed to the richness of his existence and to the beauty of the memories that we will cherish forever.
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for celebrating her life with us, for sharing your memories and your affection. May these precious moments remain forever engraved in our memories and continue to inspire us. Have a good trip !
© Patrick Spozio
E: patrick@spozio.ch
M: +41 79 234 34 79