From Deseret News archives:

Ordinary woman had heroic life

Published: Friday, Sept. 22, 2006 12:24 a.m. MDT
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When she returned the house was a shambles and the men were gone — including her husband. The Germans had been tipped that there might be onderduikers there. The Huvers' 2-year-old daughter, who was being cared for next door, innocently took the Nazis to the closet that led to the basement.

Days later, Angelina saw her dead husband lying in the street.

Somehow, Angelina escaped a similar fate and carried on. Later, her brother, Lucien, was discovered in the house during a 5 a.m. Gestapo raid. "All of a sudden there are seven of those Germans standing in front of me with the gun at me," Angelina once recounted. "They took him (Lucien) out of his bed. He was asleep. He didn't scream, he didn't say nothing. So he walked out with them and I heard the shot. They threw him on the ice, and they left him there."

Angelina later married Albert Rook, a fellow resistance member. They rejoiced when war finally ended in 1945. Several years later, they emigrated to America, choosing Salt Lake City because of their membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

They settled down on a quiet street east of downtown. Albert, who died 10 years ago, was a dock supervisor. Angelina was a housewife.

They didn't often talk about the war years. "They pretty much kept it to themselves," said Ruby. "We knew they had gone through a lot. But it wasn't until Dana did her thesis that a lot of it came out."

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That would be the Dana Conway who wrote the e-mail.

In 1991, Dana was a history major at BYU and wrote a senior thesis on the Dutch resistance during World War II. Through her research she became acquainted with Angelina and her story.

"I feel like she was such a great example of a normal person who did these incredible things," said Dana.

Dana was so impressed that she named her daughter after Angelina.

"My daughter is 5 and she says she's named after a superhero," said Dana. "I couldn't agree more. Angelina Rook was very much the woman next door, but she was also a woman with extraordinary courage who could and did rise to the occasion when she had to."


Lee Benson's column runs Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com and faxes to 801-237-2527.

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