Rudy P. Visser

Wyomissing -- Rudy Pieter Visser, 95, took his final walkabout after sharing his last meal in the arms of his ardent and devoted wife of 68 years, Annelies C. Visser, on Monday, November 21,2022, in Shillington, PA.

Rudy and Annelies, long-time members of the Berks County Hiking Club, were known to enjoy daily 4–5-mile hikes along the Tulpehocken Creek, Wyomissing, PA. For over 7 years, Rudy & Annelies used to stand on the Penn Street bridge in Reading, PA, every Friday from 5PM to 6PM with their peace signs. People still recognized them from those days. Rudy, a Renaissance man, surprised us with all the languages he actually knew; six fluently, and several conversationally, including Arabic, Japanese, Pennsylvania Dutch (Am. German dialect) and Spanish, his latest.

Rudy was born on December 17, 1926, in Dabo, Singkep, Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. His parents, Irene Alexandra Visser-Cornelius, born in Singapore, and Dirk Visser, born in The Netherlands, had one other child, Marinus Julius Visser, who had passed away several years ago. Originally, the family lived in the Dutch East Indies on an island where Rudy's father, a chemical engineer, oversaw a tin-mining operation. They moved to Sumatra where his father managed a gold-mining operation. Apparently, the Visser residence had luxuries such as electricity, ice and cold beer in the middle of jungle!

During WWII, the Japanese invaded the Dutch East Indies, and the Visser Family were confined to a Japanese internment camp in a remote jungle for over three years. His mother was interned at a separate facility.

After liberation, Rudy went to The Netherlands, where he would become a civil engineer. He worked on U.S. government projects all over the world. While stationed at the Ben Guérir Air Force Base, French Morocco, Rudy met and married Annelies van den Assem, from The Netherlands. They were married on April 10, 1954. They had one child, Robert, born in Morocco, and one child, Verena, born in Pakistan. They came to the US in 1959 where Rudy worked for Gilbert Associates in Reading, PA. Their third child, Ken, was born in the US.

Rudy is survived by his wife, Annelies Visser (née van den Assem), his two children, Verena Adelaïde Maria Aibel, and Kenneth Christopher Visser, 6 grandchildren, Julie Bucceri, Kristi Celine Visser, Dana Visser Biamonte, Zara Visser Biamonte, Delphine Isis-Irene Aibel, and Mica Visser Biamonte, and one great grandchild, Declan Bucceri. His oldest son, Robert Cornelius Visser, AIA, had passed away in 2010.

Rudy was a prolific photographer, artist and chronicler of his times, sharing what he saw in extensive photo albums and 500+ handmade holiday, birthday, and anniversary cards. Rudy's artistic talents knew no bounds. He was adept at cartooning, architecture, landscapes, bird studies, animal studies, poignant moments, overviews (then and now), seascapes, and historical or nature studies for his highly detailed scrapbooks of his major international hikes with Annelies (glaciers, volcanoes, white water rafting, ruins, etc.).

There will not be a funeral or service; a hike is being planned in Rudy's honor on Earth Day 2023. If you wish to send donations in honor of Rudy Visser, consider the Hope Rescue Mission, 645 N 6th St, Reading PA 19601 https://www.hopeforreading.org/ Annelies and Rudy were volunteers at the Hope Rescue Mission for many years and have a room dedicated in their name for men who have endured much hardship and are there temporarily, on their way to creating a better life.

Cards may be sent to Annelies Visser, 1800 Tulpehocken Road, Apt 59, Wyomissing, PA 19610.