Merrittonians will get the chance to say goodbye to a well known former resident this Saturday.

A going away tea for Andrea Rogers, who’s known as a legendary quilter and piano teacher in the Nicola Valley, will be held at the Baillie House from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., or at the Trinity United Church hall if the weather is bad.

Andrea moved to Kamloops to be closer to family.

She grew up in the Apeldoorn, Holland, and lived under Nazi occupation during the Second World War.

In a 2007 interview with the Herald, Rogers said if Canadian soldiers liberated the Netherlands three months later than they did, many would have starved to death.

Holland was liberated in April of 1945 and Canadian forces were greeted as heroes. They facilitated the arrival of food and other supplies to a Dutch population in the midst of starvation.

That year, at the age of 16, Andrea met her soon-to-be husband Norman.

She and a friend were trying to attend a show, but were not allowed entrance unless they were escorted by soldiers.

Norman overheard this and, as Canadian soldier, offered to accompany Andrea and volunteered another to escort her friend.

Norman became close with Andrea and her family after that. She showed him the sights of Apeldoorn and he would often given them rations so they could eat.

After the war, he returned to Canada, but he and Andrea wrote to each other for three years, until one of the letters contained a marriage proposal.

A doubtful 19-year-old Andrea moved to Canada, but she said her uncertainty was quelled when she met Norman at the train station.

“It was like an electric shock went through me,” she said. “What a reunion that was.”

They were married a month later.

Norman worked for Overwaitea Foods and was transferred to different stores every few years, making it difficult to establish roots in a community.

Eventually, they found themselves in Merritt and with a young son to care for, Norman declined another transfer.

Finally, Andrea was able to set roots in a community.

During her time in Merritt, she supported the Royal Canadian Legion, Baillie House and taught many piano students.

She was a renowned teacher, having studied piano at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Amsterdam before moving to Canada.

She’s also made many beautiful quilts of her own design over the years, one of which can be found at city hall and another at the United Church.