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Janherman Veenker

21 May 1950 - 15 November 2005

On Tuesday 15 November, we lost our inspiring and dedicated board member Janherman Veenker to AIDS. Our hearts go out to his family and friends and especially his husband James Credle of Newark, New Jersey.

Janherman and James had a long distance relationship for 15 years, with Janherman spending vacations and working holidays in New Jersey, where James was Dean of Multicultural Affairs at Rutgers University. James retired this Spring so they could begin their life together in the Netherlands, which sadly was not to be.

There are all kinds of love exiles. James and Janherman certainly faced the challenge of unfair immigration law, which denies recognition to same-sex partners and excludes those with HIV. However, Janherman chose not to join James on a student visa as planned in 1992 because as a person with AIDS he wanted the protection of Dutch health insurance.

As one of the first AIDS activists in the Netherlands starting in 1984 (long before he knew that he himself carried the virus), Janherman knew well the importance of access to the best health care and the shortcomings of the American health care system. He and James created a unique arrangement with lives in two countries.

Janherman chose for life, to get the best care and to live fully and well as long as possible, even though it meant that he and James were often separated. They cherished their time together, marrying for the third time on 30 December 2003 -- this time with full legal recognition.

Love Exiles is honored to have had Janherman as a board member. As past board member at many organizations, including General Secretary of the COC from 1976-1980, he brought vast experience and insight.

What stands out is his enthusiasm. He joined the board because immigration reform is an important cause -- and because he thought it would be fun. Janherman reminded us that to achieve our goals we not only have to set a plan and then follow the plan, but also have passion and pleasure for what we're doing.

- Martha McDevitt-Pugh

Janherman Veenker died today.

One of the many hats Janherman wore was board member of the Love Exiles Foundation in the Netherlands. In that role Love Exiles around the world, even those who do not know him, will miss his intense humanity and his unstoppable activities to create a fair world for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and intersex people and their families. We will also miss his immense insight into how to make non-governmental organisations powerful forces for social transformation.

Janherman died in the presence of his husband James Credle. Throughout the 15 years of their relationship James and Janherman lived each in his own country, respectively the USA and in the Netherlands.

Knighted in 2003 for his services to the community, Janherman has been a gay rights activist from his teens. He was secretary general of the Dutch gay and lesbian advocacy organization COC from 1975-1980. From 1983 he was active in a voluntary capacity in AIDS prevention and was since 2003 the coordinator of the Stop Aids Now! network in the Netherlands.

For me, Janherman was an icon. He had known he was HIV positive and living with AIDS since 1991. Yet his activism only got stronger. Perhaps there was a sense of urgency, to do things well and to make things right. Dealing with the ups and downs of his physical health he chose early on to stop activities that required meeting in the evenings. But when he was invited to join the board of Love Exiles he accepted that evening meetings were par for the course. He lived life strongly, fully and with love. He is a role model for my son and an inspiration for those I call my family.

The Love Exiles Foundation would like to extend its gratefulness to James and Janherman’s family for sharing Janherman with us and for contributing to making this wonderful man so great.

Lin McDevitt Pugh
Bendigo, Australia
15 November 2005

© 2005 Stichting Love Exiles. All rights reserved.

Janherman and James on their wedding day in December 2003
http://www.wijgaanonsechtverbinden.nl/