With a Heavy Heart and Profound Sadness …
It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved brother, “Lex” Felix Arie Aart Houtzager, who peacefully departed this world on January 8th, 2025.
Lex embraced life with courage, kindness, and grace, navigating its currents with a steadfast spirit. He found deep solace in nature, particularly in the green oasis of the Pijnenburg woods in Soest. The sunrise, with dew rising over the fields—a symbol of hope and renewal—held special meaning for him, serving as a daily reminder of life’s beauty and the promise of each new day.
In his memory, I share these lines from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 33:
“There will be no more glorious mornings to see,
To flatter the mountain tops with sovereign eye.
No more kissing with golden face the meadows green,
Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy.”
We said our final farewell to Lex during a private ceremony at sunset on January 13, 2025, in Hilversum, as the sun sank gently below the horizon. Though I deeply miss my brother, his light and love will forever remain in our hearts.
William J.J. Houtzager -17.1.2025
wjjh@pm.me
With a heavy heart and profound sadness, I am announcing the passing of my brother, “Lex” Felix Arie Aart Houtzager, on January 8, 2025. Lex was a kind and courageous spirit who cherished nature, especially the Pijnenburg woods. A private farewell was held on January 13, 2025, honoring his lasting impact and love.
In what kind of world do we wish to live 
Dear William,
Thank you for the letter, which I will answer soon (probably on Wednesday…) and thank you for the very moving testimony to your brother. And thank you for sharing the pain you feel of the loss of a close relative. Brothers, indeed, siblings, share something special, especially if they manage to keep their understanding for each other. You can always share something that you might not ever share with someone else, knowing that the other understands even without long and complicated explanations. you also share the long time together, you knew him when he was born. So it is good that you be able to carry him in your soul for the final journey in this life. It’s almost as if a parent were with him.
I also have sad news. You know I have a small choir I have been leading for about 20 years. One of my singers named Angela loved to come sing . But she was seriously bipolar, always suffering from ups and downs. So bad, that during the lockdown, I once called the health service, because she was obviously having an episode. For a few years she didn’t come, but last week, the group met to sing and she was there, happy to sing with us. But it was her way of saying good bye, she committed suicide a few days ago. Very sad. She had many friends, none of us could help.
Best wishes,
Marton
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Dear Marton,
Thank you for your heartfelt message, and you are obvious right, and the connection was strong. But as I wrote you I have always been aware of the impermanence of life, but we are never prepared for this.
About your singer Angela, this is deeply tragic and we always wonder what could have done and this is always the question what remains. But the human brain is complicated and follows its own logic. As you know when I worked at Burgholzli I had a room with the notartz, which taught me how complicated suicides are and most don’t succeed. The loss of human life is always tragic especially in these circumstances.
Be well, and thank you for responding.
Kind regards, W
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