Henriette Maria van Oord Swarts went to be with the Lord at the Maplewood Nursing Home in Westmoreland, NH on Thursday, September 11, 2025. She was born to Marius and Wilhelmina (Segers) van Oord, on September 22, 1930, in Werkendam, Holland. She married Michiel Swarts of Groningen, Holland on May 29, 1952.

A longtime resident of the area, Henriette was an exceptionally active member of the community since her family’s arrival more than 60 years ago. Originally from the Netherlands, the Swarts family, including husband, Michiel, and children, Hans, Helma, Trudy, and Micheline, settled in Bellows Falls in 1962.

It wasn’t long before Henriette became a volunteer, collecting money door-to-door to build the town pool. By 1964, she became the local chairman for the Fresh Air Fund, a non profit organization based in New York City that brought city kids to the country for a couple of weeks each year. She volunteered for them, eventually becoming the Windham County fund representative, until 1991.

In 1969, Henriette became an American citizen and thereafter became an active member of the local Democratic Committee serving at times as a poll worker and a campaigner. She served as a Justice of the Peace and later was appointed to serve as a member of the Vermont Dental Board.

In the early 1970s, Henriette owned and operated Henriette’s Gift Shop located on the Square in Bellows Falls memorable for its interesting window displays and unforgettable yellow bags with the bright green dandelion logo.

With the arrival of her first grandchild, Jurrien in 1976 she started a new career as a childcare provider, which soon earned her the moniker “Oma” (which is Dutch for grandma). For the next 30 years Oma helped raise over 70 local children including seven of her nine grandchildren. Often she cared for them from infancy to kindergarten age, and many of them continued to spend school holidays and vacations with Oma as well.

Henriette, herself a cancer survivor, reached out to countless community members by helping to raise money for the American Cancer Association and the American Red Cross and serving as a hospice volunteer for several years. She also become known for her generous donations of exquisitely baked cookies, almond-filled tarts, cheesecakes, and pound cakes to friends, neighbors, deployed troops, her church, and even as a “thank you” to the town road crews who kept her sidewalks cleared in the winter as well!

Henriette is survived by her sons, Hans and Jurrien Swarts, daughters, Helma Holton (Joe), Trudy Byington (Rob), and Micheline Canty (Chris); nine grandchildren; and 18 (+) great-grandchildren.

A private graveside service was held at the New Westminster Cemetery on Sunday, September 14 attended by the extended family.

In lieu of flowers, please consider giving to North Star Health, Attn: Charitable gifts, 100 River Street, Springfield, VT 05156.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Fenton and Hennessey Funeral Home, 55 Westminster Street, Bellows Falls, VT.