On the death of Hilda van Stockum

The grand old lady, Hilda van Stockum, passed away at the age of 98 on Nov 1, 2006, All Saint's Day. Ms. van Stockum was a highly regarded artist and a widely acclaimed author/illustrator of children's literature, as well as a mother of six. She converted to Catholicism under the influence of the great G.K. Chesterton. It is also worthy to note that Ms. van Stockum was home schooled until the age of ten.

There is an interesting paper by Ms. van Stockum's granddaughter, Christine Marlin, entitled, "Catholic Formation Through Children's Literature: The Novels of Hilda van Stockum," which is worth a read in honor of the deceased author. She writes:

Another feature of the pro-life aspect of HvS’s novels is the realistic
manner in which she shows that embracing life does indeed have a cost (which
is why it is an unpopular position in modern society). Without a willingness
to sacrifice, families cannot function; but it is precisely this virtue of
self-sacrifice that creates the bonds of love that make the family so
precious. There are numerous examples in HvS’s novels of sacrifices that
both endear people to one another and enrich the character who performs
them.

Ms. van Stockum had the distinction of studying the Montessori Method in her early days, under the direct tutelage of Maria Montessori. The materials and methods albums made during her training were so beautiful, Maria Montessori even asked if she could keep them for herself. Evidently, this training was very influential on Ms. van Stockum as Mother. Daughter Sheila O'Neill honorably remembers her mother thus:

The Montessori Method prepares children for the future; as Wordsworth
put it, “The child is father of the man.” I can see how Mother's manner of
bringing us up was influenced by this method. She allowed us a lot of freedom
but within boundaries. When I was an adolescent and going out with boyfriends,
Mother did not fuss about my being back early because she said she 'trusted us'
and believed in our good sense and wise choices,making us responsible for our
actions. She brought us up on strict Catholic rules(she was a convert) and they
acted as a boundary as well!

She also discussed problems with us children, and helped us to think and debate and was a sympathetic listener. She was an excellent role model and inspiration; very good at observing but not interfering in her children's activities. These observations soon gave her enough information to fill many books. Like Montessori, Mother was our liberator and we were all encouraged to follow our own paths - she always supported and believed in us. Mother also made life fun and enjoyed entertaining.

She was happiest when surrounded by family. We were there for her during her last few weeks and she loved having us around her. Before she died she gave each of us a special blessing.

The rest of Mrs. O'Neill's memoir is available here. I have added links to Ms. Stockum's website and literature in the side bar under favorite children's authors.

My own children have loved and treasured the Bantry Bay Series, re-reading it many times after we completed it as a family read aloud. The stories are beautiful, imaginative, Catholic, and family-centered, usually based on the experiences of her own family life.

Let us remember to pray for the repose of her soul.
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her.