Dr. Theodoor L. Van Ooy

In Loving Memory of Dr. Theodoor L. Van Ooy

Dr. Theodoor L. Van Ooy passed away peacefully at the age of 102, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of compassion, service, and adventure. Born on July 8, 1924, in the Netherlands, he spent part of his childhood in Indonesia during World War II before returning to the Netherlands to attend medical school at the University of Amsterdam.

After earning his medical degree, his adventurous spirit led him to spend a year traveling the world as a ship's surgeon, an experience that shaped his lifelong curiosity and appreciation for different cultures.

In the early 1950s, he immigrated to the United States to pursue his medical career. While completing his residency in obstetrics and gynecology in Southern California, he met the love of his life, Henny DeWit, who had also emigrated from the Netherlands. Together they built a loving family and raised four children.

Dr. Van Ooy established his medical practice in Los Gatos, where he cared for generations of women and families with kindness, skill, and unwavering dedication. Later, he and his family moved to Aptos, where he opened a new practice and became instrumental in helping establish Planned Parenthood in Santa Cruz. A passionate advocate for women's reproductive rights, he believed deeply that every woman deserved compassionate, respectful, and accessible healthcare. His commitment to his patients and his community left an enduring impact that continues today.

At age 65, he retired from medicine but never retired from life. He and Henny embraced the freedom to travel, making many cherished trips back to the Netherlands to visit his brothers, nieces, nephews, and extended family. These reunions remained among his greatest joys.

He found peace and happiness outdoors, especially while hiking the trails of the Santa Cruz Mountains and exploring the breathtaking beauty of Big Sur. He had a profound love for the Central Coast and was continually inspired by its forests, coastline, and natural beauty.

Above all, he will be remembered as a devoted husband, loving father, grandfather, brother, uncle, physician, and friend. His life was defined by intellectual curiosity, compassion, courage, and an unwavering commitment to helping others. His family and the countless patients whose lives he touched will forever cherish his memory and strive to carry forward the values he embodied.

He is survived by his wife, Henny, his brother, Karel, four children, Deanna (Gregg), Daphne, Michelle, Ted, five grandchildren, Sarah, Eric, John, Lucas, and Katie and many beloved nieces, nephews, and extended family in the Netherlands, France, and the US. He was preceded in death by his beloved brothers Hans, Herman, and Kees.

His family takes comfort in knowing that his legacy lives on—not only through those who loved him, but also through the generations of women and families whose lives were made better because of his care, advocacy, and compassion.