Mrs Van Andel-Schipper was born as Hendrikje Schipper in 1890 in Smilde, a small village in Drenthe. When she was born she was very weak. Thanks to the continous care of her grandmother during her first four weeks, she survived. On her first day at school at the age of five she got sick again and she was removed from school on advise of a local doctor. Her father, who was head of the local school, tought her reading and writing.

Henny van Andel-Schipper lived with her parents until she was 47 years old. At the age op 46, she met her husband Dick van Andel, who worked in Amsterdam. She left her parent's home at the age of 47 and married Dick van Andel at the age op 49 in 1939. Since then, she is named van Andel-Schipper.

During the Second World War she and her husband moved to Hoogeveen. Her husband died from cancer in 1959.

Henny van Andel-Schipper is still in a good health, although she has almost lost her sense of hearing and her eyesight.

She is a big fan of the soccer club Ajax Amsterdam since she visited a soccer match of Ajax more than 80 years ago.