Rommy was born March 17, 1937 in Makkum, the Netherlands. She was the fourth child of Gosse and Akke de Boer. Her older siblings are Anne, Peter and Thomas, and her younger siblings Elizabeth and the late Louis. As a seven-year-old girl, Rommy experienced the liberation of the Netherlands by Canadian soldiers at the end of World War II. In 1950, at age 12, she emigrated to Canada with her family.

Rommy became the devoted wife of Marinus Vanderspek in 1963. Together they shared nearly 55 years of partnership, including the raising of four boys, Corneil, Greg, Henry and Joel. Rommy was an accomplished artist who also enjoyed stints in fashion retail and real estate. She had a keen appreciation of how beauty is found in life’s smallest details, and she shared that gift with everyone she knew. She passed it along to a new generation, as she became delighted Oma to Juliana, Isaac, Nathan, Josiah and Evelina. She passed away peacefully June 20, 2025 at 9 p.m. at 88 years of age. She will be dearly missed but her legacy of faith, love, creativity and service lives on.

Friends may call at the Turner & Porter Yorke Chapel (2357 Bloor St. W., Toronto, just east of the Jane subway) on Thursday, June 26, 2025 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Private interment will take place at Spring Creek Cemetery. The funeral will be held on Friday, June 27, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (3819 Bloor St. W., Etobicoke). As expressions of remembrance, donations may be made to Scott Mission (https://scottmission.com/).