John Roelof Nieuwenhuyzen's Obituary
John Roelof Nieuwenhuyzen, 88, of Spotsylvania County passed away peacefully at Mary Washington Hospital on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
John was born in Amsterdam to Jan and Yanna Nieuwenhuyzen on May 23, 1937. He came to the United States and Virginia to attend the University of William and Mary after being awarded a scholarship for a writing competition sponsored by the Rotary Club. He graduated from the University of William and Mary in 1963.
John met the love of his life, Lauraine, on a ski trip with a singles club in Fredericksburg. He married Lauraine on May 25, 1997 and they were blessed with almost 30 years of marriage. They loved to travel together, especially on cruises. They took many cruises together just the two of them, including trips to Cuba, the Bahamas, Hawaii, the Panama Canal, and Alaska.
John was a career accountant and owned his own business. He operated an accounting service out of his own home. He made lifelong friends through small business connections in his work as an accountant.
John truly enjoyed the game of chess. His grandfather taught him how to play at a young age and he never stopped playing. John had friends that he would meet frequently to play several games of chess; he could play for hours.
John was an avid fan of Days of Our Lives. He did not miss an episode of his favorite soap opera in over 50 years.
John also had an especially strong bond with his pets. His beloved cat, Lucky, couldn’t be left alone for more than 24 hours. He had two former amazing dogs, Happy and Shadow. His dogs were never far from his side.
John is survived by his loving wife of almost 30 years, Lauraine Nieuwenhuyzen; son, Eric Nieuwenhuyzen; and his wife’s children, Paula, Joe, and Tom Blinkhorn.
John was preceded in death by his parents; son, Gary Nieuwenhuyzen; and his wife’s daughter, Diane Nerschl.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 21, 2026 at Found and Sons Funeral Chapel, 10719 Courthouse Road, Fredericksburg. John’s family will receive friends immediately following the service until 1:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel.
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