Jan & Hester Vroegindeweij in the U.S.A.

In the autumn of 1947 Jan Vroegindeweij, his wife Hester Vroegindeweij, and their 3 children were in The Netherlands for a family visit. They were staying with Jan's parents David Vroegindeweij (1881-1949) and Lucretia Geertruida Schilperoord (1882-1973). During WWII Jan had been working in an ammunition factory.

Eilanden-nieuws, 22-11-1947

Vroegindeweij is an interesting surname that can be translated as “early in the meadow” and is sometimes written as “Vroeg in de Weij”. Both Jan and Hester descend from Dammis Vroegindeweij who was living in 's-Gravendeel, Holland, in the 17th century. They have a more recent common ancestor in Dammis Claesz Vroegindeweij (1731-1775).

Hester Vroegindeweij was born on 9 June 1909 in Dirksland in Holland. Her parents are Simon Vroegindeweij and Leentje van Es. Hester was named after her grandmother Hester Soldaat (1843-1929), wife of Arij Vroegindeweij (1838-1918).
It's likely that Hester emigrated to the U.S.A. with her parents - sometime after 1923. Simon's elder brother Cornelis Vroegindeweij emigrated to the U.S.A. in april 1930, taking his children with him, too.
The 3 children accompanying Jan and Hester to Holland in 1947 were Lucretia Geertruida, Elaine and Cornelis Johan. Another son, David Simon (“Daaf”), was born on 20 November 1949 in Paterson, New Jersey.

Eilanden-nieuws, 30-11-1949

Jan Vroegindeweij died on 14 July 1982 in Vernon, N.J., aged 74. His widow, Hester, likely died on 21 December 1997. 

Eilanden-nieuws, 14-7-1982

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, KrantenBankZeeland.nl.