Dear Jennifer, dear Sam & Katy, dear family, dear friends. I stand here on behalf of my Jaarclub to share some of our thoughts on this moment of sorrow for Joost his departure. Also a moment of gratitude and celebration of his life, and the way his life touched ours.

Joost – The gentle giant with the radiant eyes and the generous, open-hearted smile.

Since September 1988 the moment we started university studies in Delft, and we all stepped into a new and determining episode of out lives, Joost has been an integral part of our lives. Thinking of this we realized that we have known Joost more than half of our lives and roughly 100% of our adult lives.

Together as the jaarclub Gilbert, we built a foundation on which we based our further friendship together. On that solid base we have grown together. Not only as a group of friends, but as individuals as well.
These last few months we have come to realize how strong this foundation actually is, and the part that Joost played in building it. Not only as one of the bricks but also as the cement that kept us together.

Last night, some of us sat together and we shared our thoughts and memories of Joost. A true evening of tears and laughter where we tried to paint just a little piece of the beautiful picture Joost is to us and to all of you here today. Some thoughts came to our mind.

• Joost was always there fully, never half. Even if he had only been there for less than an hour, you had the feeling that he had been there the entire time.

• Joost was not a follower, he followed his own plan, he had his own style

• Joost was a catalyst for everyone, a magnet, a continuous self re-inventor. Not afraid to question things or reflect upon himself.

• Joost stimulated debate and enjoyed it thoroughly, he was headstrong where it mattered, and was compliant where it didn’t. Always making his own choices trusting his own judgement. When needed Joost would be the voice of conscious of our club with the unique combination of energy and serenity at the same time

• Joost respected everybody and did not judge anyone. He was sincere in his interest in the people that he met. He made you feel welcome. Probably all of you will still remember the first time you met him. A big warm personality with a big, big heart, that he had, the willingness to help others.

• Joost always needed a loaf of bread with plenty of Beemster cheese.

• Joost was full of creativity and enjoyed playing music with his friends. Give him a piano and he would play a tune. With some luck he would start singing “Vlieg met me mee naar de regenboog…”. And he would not stop until everybody joined in.

• Joost was the brain behind playing soccer on the beach, walks in the woods, playing games. Making small things great. Things did not have to be spectacular. Being with friends was what mattered, not what you did.

• Joost had golden ideas and great ambitions and the energy to conquer the world. An example was his revolutionary folding table design that would conquer the world, he was convinced it would work. Just one example of his energy and belief in his own ideas.

• Joost was a man of reason and analysis combined with great sensitivity and deep spirituality.

• Above all, Joost was love, friendship and loyalty to his friends and family.

Yesterday we had a great time digging up memories, sharing stories and looking at pictures. It triggered only good memories, and great moments of laughter. We listened to Joost and Sander’s podcast from February 9, and it filled us with both joy and sadness. It was so natural to hear Joost’s voice, half expecting him to come bashing in, blaming us for having started the party without him. We will truly miss him.

Joost, you are alive to us, and you are with us forever, anywhere.

Our thoughts are with Jennifer, Katy, Sam and all the family.

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