Musician De Rooy fondly remembered by St. Catharines club

Passed away at age 79

ST. CATHARINES, Ontario - His keyboard has fallen silent. Nick de Rooy who with his band of four for decades took care of the musical arrangements for groups such as Club the Netherlands, and kept performing on his own for the club for another fifteen years after his band disbanded, passed away recently at a daughter’s home, six weeks short of his 80th birthday. His wife died a year earlier.

Club the Netherlands which was founded fifty years ago, increasingly hired the Nick de Rooy Band as appreciation for its (Dutch) repertoire grew among the club’s members, recalls long-time board secretary Frank Niesink. Core members of Nick’s band were wife Ellen who played bass, accordionist Jan Idzinga, and Huub Kramer who took care of the percussion. Others joined the group as needed. At the club, the band played for people who came from all over Ontario.

Since New Year’s Eve 1987 when the band played its farewell notes, De Rooy entertained solo at club events.