February 14, 1953 ~ July 17, 2022 (age 69)
Maria Elisabeth Louise Sluijter “Riet” Burger was born in Baarn, The Netherlands February 14, 1953. She lost her struggle with ALS on July 17, 2022 at the age of 69 at her home in Dublin, Texas where she and her husband recently relocated, to be closer to family, from their hometown of Pickton, Texas.
Through a shared love of horses, Maria met and later married her husband Douwe Berger on July 18, 1978. Maria and Douwe operated a dairy farm in the Netherlands and they had three children.
In 1988, Maria, her husband and three children immigrated to Northeast Texas where they operated a dairy farm. Maria was ambitious and eager to return to the medical field, having worked many years in the operating room in The Netherlands. In 1999, she completed the Physician Assistant Program at UTMB. Maria loved her work, she loved being outdoors and she found joy and happiness in even the simplest pleasures. Horses were her passion and nothing made her feel more alive than riding her beloved horses.
Maria’s lust for life, her generous spirit and optimism will be greatly missed by all those fortunate to know her. She is preceded in death by parents Pieter Thomas Sluijter and Agatha Bijlard and son-in-law, Jaap Blaak.
She is survived by husband of 44 years Douwe Berger, daughter Atie Berger and Pleun Lodewijks, daughter Anna and husband Willem Visser, and son Douwe Pieter and wife Amie Berger as well as her siblings Tom, Els, Piet and Sabine. Maria was an adventurous grandma and always enjoyed spending time with her 8 grandchildren: Rosemarijn & Kaap Blaak; Lars, Neil, Elissa & Jack Visser; and Jaxon & Rowan Berger.
Services for Maria will be from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM Sunday, July 24th at the Family Center at Stephenville Funeral Home. Visitation will begin at 5:00 and end at 8:00 PM at the Family Center.
Family Center at Stephenville Funeral Home, red brick building, located directly south of the funeral home parking lot.
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