Anny Is proud to be 97 years old and was born and raised in Antwerp, Belgium. During the war she went to a boarding school in Brussels. When the railroads were bombed, she, along with four other girls, rode their bicycles four and a half hours to get home for the weekend. They often were tooted at by the German soldiers passing by.
Totally overcome by German bombing that blew out the windows and doors of her home, her family decided to stay in Antwerp. The Belgians endured food and other shortages, loss of their private vehicles, and the governing by Germans.
Her older brother, Pierre, served a short time in the Belgian army, fought in France, and was captured, but was able to go home because his captors couldn’t wait for the trains to take away prisoners of war to Germany.
Her favorite war story is when she played Saint Nicholas dressed in a bishop’s robes and a high mitre hat on a school stage when an air raid took place. Everyone took shelter except for Anny in that cumbersome outfit restraining her. And after all – she was St. Nicholas!!
Anny married Jean DeBoeck in the Belgian foreign service, who was sent to DC to work on the Marshall Plan. Six years later he was hired by the World Bank. During that time, Anny taught the Dutch language at the Foreign Service Institute. They became US citizens after his retirement. She visited Belgium every other year until about six years ago. She thinks in French, still enjoys reading French books, and sings heartily in French, when possible, in living room musical nights at The Woodlands.
Anny has a son and a daughter living close by, six grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. They have big holiday gatherings! Prior to coming to The Woodlands as an original resident 14 years ago, Anny lived in Annandale.
