Nicolaas or "Dick" as he was known, was born in Haarlem, a city in the neighborhood of Amsterdam, which is also the birthplace of the Dutch painter Frans Hals. The grandfather of Nicolaas was the artist Willem Maris, who was the brother of Jacob and Mathijs. Nicolaas owned a few of Willem Maris' paintings. Nicolaas was born on the exact same date and year as Marilyn Monroe on June 1, 1926. During World War 2, Nicolaas seemed like an awkward and average teenage Dutch boy but secretly worked for the underground. He befriended and struck up conversations with the occupying enemy German soldiers to gain their trust and information, then, dressed as a girl with a scarf over his head, he rode a bicycle with wooden wheels (rubber was unavailable) many miles from his home with the secret notes folded tightly and slipped into the frame of his bicycle. After the occupation of Holland, the U.S. Marines came into his village and liberated the local population. His family was so grateful to be liberated, for the rest of his life, Nicolaas held a special place in his heart for the U.S. Marines, often attending ceremonies and donating to U.S. Marine charities. Whenever he saw a Marine in uniform, he would always strike up a conversation and thank them for their service. As an adult, he moved to the United States in 1957 where he soon began working for Litton Business Phone Systems in San Francisco, something he did for many years. Eventually, he became an executive with the company. In July 1967 Nicolaas became an American citizen. He eventually bought a home that was built in 1905 that reminded him of the charming homes in his native Holland. The house was located at 17 Coronet Ave. in Mill Valley, California. It still stands high on a hill to this day. The home was filled with family antiques and paintings. On April 4, 1972, he was granted patent number 3654396 for his invention which was the first "call screening" device for use on any telephone. Nick had a passion for Griotten Salty Dutch Licorice, which he snacked on quite often. He also had a passion for classical music and was generous with his friends. Christmas was a special time for Nick and he followed all the traditional Dutch customs. He always had a lavish tree and invited friends over for the holidays. Nick enjoyed Lake County and owned a small house there. A few days after his birthday, Nick passed away at his home on the lake at the age of only 71.