Dr. Cornelis D. Brandt Obituary (1927

Our loving father, Opa, and great-grandfather Cornelis Diedrich Brandt M.D. died peacefully at his home on December 9th, 2021, at the age of 94. He was born in Bandar Lampur, Indonesia, the former Dutch East Indies, on May 24th, 1927, to Ernst August Hermann Brandt and Hendrika (Lapperre) Brandt. Dieter, as he was known, grew up on rubber plantations that his father managed on the islands of Sumatra and Java, where he greatly enjoyed life and had many exotic pets, including monkeys and an elephant. He loved telling stories of his childhood in the jungle. He and his family survived a Japanese prison camp during WWII in Indonesia, and he served a brief time in the Dutch Navy during the Indonesian revolution. He met his future bride, Nell Keilman, while working as a lab technician at the Pasteur Institute in Bandung on the island of Java after the war. In 1951, he moved to Holland to attend medical school in Amsterdam, where he and Nell were married on September 16th, 1952. In 1956, after graduating from medical school, Dieter and Nell immigrated to Seattle, WA where he did his residency and pursued his American medical license. In August 1957, he and Nell moved to Toppenish, WA where he opened his first general practice with Nell working alongside him as his receptionist and nurse. In 1959, he moved his home and practice to Yakima. Dieter and Nell made a beautiful home in Yakima that they lived in for 61 years raising their three children. They enjoyed hosting many pool parties and family dinners in the yard. Dieter and Nell spent much time in their yard, Nell took great pride in her garden and Dieter enjoyed tending to his many fruit trees. Dieter loved to travel with Nell and his family and through the years visited Canada, Mexico, Samoa, Holland, Germany, Australia, Micronesia, Indonesia, Thailand and many places in the United States. He and the family also did a lot of day hiking in the Cascades and Oak Creek area through the years with visits to Mt. Rainier always a favorite trip. He was an avid wood worker for many years and made many good friends through this hobby. He gifted many of his patients and loved ones beautiful bowls, jewelry boxes, and furniture over the years. Dieter retired from his medical practice at the end of February 2021 after 63 years of doing what he loved, taking care of his patients. He had many patients who became friends through the years, treating five generations in some families. He cared for his patients dearly and took great pride in his work. Often, he would forgo a physical and just trade stories with his patients. The twinkle in his eye as he was telling a joke and his ability to tell a story about anything will be missed by many friends, family, and patients. Dieter is preceded in death by Nell, his wife of 67 years and his youngest sister Erika Thomas. He is survived by his daughter Erika (Curtis) Hennings of Ritzville, WA, daughter Tammy (Steve) Kuebler of Selah, WA, son Hans Brandt of Yakima, grandchildren Hans (Kristina) Hennings of Ritzville, WA, Elena (Justin) McKenzie of Ritzville, WA, Ian Kuebler of Creston, WA, Elyse Kuebler of Yakima and Hayden and Garrett Brandt of Boise, ID and five great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters Hannie Thompson of Edmonds, WA and Annemarie Vanluenen of Yakima and many nephews. A private family Memorial for Dieter will be held at a later date.