Funerary monument
Final resting place of Johanna van Best, her husband Josephus Verhoeven and his second wife Leonarda Huysmans.
In the cemetery on Kerkstraat, there is a striking funerary monument to admire. Dating from 1914, the monument houses the graves of three people: J.M.E. van Best, her husband and doctor, Dr J.B. Verhoeven, and his second wife, L.G.M. Huysmans.
A cemetery steeped in history
The current cemetery was established because the provincial authorities deemed the old churchyard surrounding the medieval church on Koningsplein no longer suitable. Nevertheless, people continued to be buried there until 1843. The new cemetery contains a number of old gravestones that are well worth seeing, including those of Mayor Wijnen, resistance fighter Frits de Bruijn and Master Ten Haaf. The grave of Van Best, Verhoeven and Huysmans is also of interest and has since been designated a national monument.
Art Nouveau in Asten
The gravestone of Van Best, Verhoeve…
In the cemetery on Kerkstraat, there is a striking funerary monument to admire. Dating from 1914, the monument houses the graves of three people: J.M.E. van Best, her husband and doctor, Dr J.B. Verhoeven, and his second wife, L.G.M. Huysmans.
A cemetery steeped in history
The current cemetery was established because the provincial authorities deemed the old churchyard surrounding the medieval church on Koningsplein no longer suitable. Nevertheless, people continued to be buried there until 1843. The new cemetery contains a number of old gravestones that are well worth seeing, including those of Mayor Wijnen, resistance fighter Frits de Bruijn and Master Ten Haaf. The grave of Van Best, Verhoeven and Huysmans is also of interest and has since been designated a national monument.
Art Nouveau in Asten
The gravestone of Van Best, Verhoeven and Huysmans stands out for its Art Nouveau elements, a style that was popular around 1900. The design is refined and graceful, with an emphasis on natural lines and decorative details. It consists of a sandstone ring wall with pillars at the corners, a wrought-iron gate and a bench on the inside.
The inscriptions on the grave reveal who is buried here:
• J.M.E. [Johanna Maria Elisabeth] van Best, Valkenswaard, 22 Aug. 1881 – Asten, 23 Nov. 1914
• Dr J.B. [Josephus Bernardus] Verhoeven, doctor in Asten and Deventer, 17 June 1874 – ’s Hertogenbosch, 23 Nov. 1934
• L.G.M. [Leonarda Gerardina Maria] Huysmans, Woensel, 23 September 1881 – Asten, 8 September 1953
Next to it is another inscription: Rest in peace / my dear Betsy / sweet little mother / sleep well.
A national monument with a provincial tribute
A special glass object has recently been installed on the grave: a logo associated with a restoration project to mark the 200th anniversary of the province of North Brabant. A total of 80 monuments are to receive such a glass plaque. The grave of Van Best, Verhoeven and Huysmans is among this selected group. The project is documented in the book *Brabantse monumenten leven*.