Obituary: Blanche Ebeling Koning

Dr. Blanche T. van Berckel-Ebeling Koning of Greenbelt, Maryland, a regular visitor to Shelter Island to see one of her step-children, Gwen EK Waddington, passed away unexpectedly in Washington, D.C. on May 25, 2011 while recovering from surgery. Born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on January 20, 1928, she lived her adult life in the United States.

Dr. Ebeling Koning received degrees from Hunter College and Columbia University. Her career started with work as a Latin teacher and progressed to the librarianship of a rare book collection.

She held positions with Houghton Library at Harvard; the Rare Books and Literary Manuscripts Department at the University of Maryland; the Archives of American Art of the Smithsonian Institution; the Oliveira Lima Library of Catholic University of America; and the John Carter Brown Library of Brown University. She retired in 2006.

Her magnum opus, “The History of Brazil under the Governorship of Count Johan Maurits of Nassau, 1636-1644,” is a translation of a 17th-century work that will be published in September. The final edit was completed just days before her surgery.

Dr. Ebeling Koning was predeceased by her husband, Jacob J. Ebeling-Koning in 1987. She is survived by her step-children, Tasha EK Sigmund (Richard) of Brooklyn; Derek B. Ebeling-Koning (Juliann) of Pennsylvania; Gwen EK Waddington (Glenn) of Shelter Island; and her five grandchildren: Citizen Sigmund, Morgan Waddington, and Natalie, Oliver and Lillian Ebeling-Koning. She is survived also by her sisters, Ann Blijdenstein and Marthe Ankersmit (Jan), of the Netherlands; sister-in-law Mary van Berckel; and 10 nieces and nephews.

Dr. Ebeling Koning annually visited her step-daughter Gwen and Gwen’s husband Glenn and son Morgan on Shelter Island. They shared an interest in history so she enjoyed hearing about Gwen’s adventures as a volunteer at Sylvester Manor and the Havens House.

A memorial service is planned for June 18 at Catholic University of America in Washington.