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Painter and writer Hilda Van Stockum dies aged 98
Mrs Van Stockum wrote more than 20 children's books, classics in the United States and in later life established herself as a painter with exhibitions in Ireland, Austria, Canada and the US.
Her daughters Brigid Marlin, who also lives on Castle Hill and Sheila O'Neill, who lives in Garston, said their mother had a fascinating life.
Sheila said: "She was an amazing person. She was so full of energy and had a wonderful imagination. She was uniquely intelligent."
Brigid added: "She would tell us the stories she was writing and ask advice. Up to the age of 93 she was still writing stories and poems."
Hilda Van Stockum was born in Rotterdam in 1908 the daughter of a naval officer and spent her childhood in Ireland and Holland.
She was a keen artist from a young age and was also interested in writing.
She eventually studied at the Dublin School of Art and at the famous RijksAcademie in Amsterdam before working as an illustrator in Dublin.
In 1932 she married Ervin Ross Marlin an American, moved to New York, then Washington DC and began writing while teaching at a Montessori School.
Her first book, A Day On the Skates, won the American Newbery fiction award and established her as a children's author of note.
Brigid said: "Her books became big in America and are still popular today. Many of them were about five children growing up and were based on us growing up during the war years."
Hilda's most famous book was the Winged Watchman, set in her native Holland during the Second World War. It tells the story of two boys living in a windmill who help the resistance movement.
In 1939 she converted to Catholicism and brought up her six children in the faith.
After she moved to Berkhamsted in the 1970s she took up art again seriously.
Brigid said: "She thought of herself first as an artist and then became a writer. Then she was inspired to paint again and became a famous still life artist."
She became popular in Ireland, being elected to the Royal Hibernian Academy and had one of her paintings on an Irish postage stamp.
Hilda's husband passed away in 1994, but she carried on illustrating until 2001.
She passed away at her home following a stroke.
Sheila said: "We want to have a celebration of her life, she really was a unique woman. Her obituary appeared in the New York Times and the Irish Times as well as magazines and newspapers all over the world."
Brigid added: "We want to hold a retrospective exhibition for her in the year she would have been a hundred."
Hilda Van Stockum is survived by her six children, artist and founder of the society for art of imagination Brigid, Montessori head Sheila O'Neill, London based medical professor Elisabeth Paice, philosophy professor Randal Marlin in Canada, economist John Tepper Marlin in New York and Olga Marlin, a missionary and the head of Opus Dei in Africa.
She also leaves 18 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Her funeral will be held at Sacred Heart Church in Berkhamsted on Saturday November 18 at 11am.
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Weather for Hemel Hempstead
Wednesday 08 February 2012
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