Marceline Goedegebuure

Dear all,

It is with great sadness that we have heard about the news of the death of Marceline Goedegebuure, a faithful member of our Mercy Ships family.
Pls. see the email below, sent out by her family:

Dear friends and family of Marceline,
We are very sad to inform you that Marceline passed away on Saturday, December 31st. 2005. We were informed by the Holland America Line by the director of human resources. Since November 24 Marceline was sailing as an engineer on the M.S. Prinsendam of the Holland America Line. At the fatal moment the ship was near by the island Dominica (Venezuela). On a certain moment last Saturday, Marceline didn't show up for her duty. Checking her cabin colleagues found her laying on her bed, hardly breathing. All efforts to keep her alive failed. Marceline passed away at 05.16 LT.
The Prinsendam is currently heading to Fort Lauderdale (Florida) and is expected to arrive at Wednesday 4th of January. Further information about probable causes will be investigated there.
On Tuesday the 3rd we will fly by plane to visit the Prinsendam, that is: Piet (father), Lennert (brother), Johanneke (sister) and Madeleine (sister).

With kind regards,

Family Goedegebuure,

Marceline served with Mercy Ships for extended periods of time since completing her DTS on the Anastasis, both as a Deck Officer and as an Engineering Officer on the Anastasis and the Caribbean Mercy, and as a Deck Officer on the Africa Mercy. Many of you will know her from the time here on board. The first attached picture was taken on the bridge of the Anastasis a few years ago. Also many of you will know her from her time on the Caribbean Mercy where she served as chief officer until the time the ship was laid up. Don Golden sent me the second picture of that time when she was leading the mooring team on the bow. These are some of Don’s words: ‘She was in her element, loving the life she had chosen. She was so professional and so protective of her crew, chiding us to be careful, but in a way that was never demeaning, but loving and supportive.’

Beyond her wide ranging technical skills, Marceline brought a sweet and gentle spirit to the shipboard community that expressed itself in care for individual crew members, small group activities and community worship. She will be sorely missed. Marceline reached the age of 28. Despite the sadness we know Marceline safe in the arms of her heavenly Father. Please lift up to the Lord, especially her father and the rest of her family and all those who knew and loved her, during this difficult time of grief.

Jurryan