Bea Idema

Beatrice ”Bea” Idema, the wife of the late William W. Idema of the Steelcase family died on February 3, 2022. She was 99.

Bea was born on July 10, 1922, the daughter of John and Anna Aldrink. She was one of eight children and grew up on their dairy farm in Allendale, Michigan. Bea was a tomboy - climbing trees and fishing with her older brothers. She loved being in nature and learning things. She had fun in everything she did – often leading activities by saying “Time to get on the merry go”. Another of her favorite saying that she lived by was “I’ll try that too!”

Bea was an extremely caring person and was always doing things to help others. This led Bea into a career as a nurse. She worked at Blodgett Hospital with a special love of caring for children.

It was a nursing friend of Bea’s that introduced her to Bill Idema. In keeping with their spirit of fun and adventure, Bill proposed to Bea while taking her flying in his Cessna plane. They were married on August 7, 1954.

Bea’s love of life and fun continued – she learned to fly Bill’s Cessna and they traveled together around the world. They were among the few people to fly on the supersonic Concorde jet and they also did a world tour on the Queen Elizabeth II. Everywhere Bea went she brought smiles to others. Family and friends fondly remember Bill’s and Bea’s annual Aldrink Family Reunions at Surfside Cottage. Here at the cottage, Bea had a prize garden of blueberries, raspberries and super tall sweet corn. On Lake Michigan she enjoyed sailing her Sunfish. Bea loved playing the piano, always by ear and full of improvising. She cooked in the same way, following no recipe, so that every time was different and surprisingly good. Bill and Bea would often be seen riding their bikes with their two black standard poodles trotting by their sides.

Bea’s love and caring for others was the driving force in her life. Bea will be long remembered for her charitable activities. As a nurse, philanthropist and an advocate for education, she supported many Christian, educational, and environmental organizations in West Michigan and across the globe.

Bill and Bea’s generosity had no boundaries and impacted countless lives. Bea may best be remembered for her leadership role in the development of the Grand River Greenway. The Grand River Greenway is a 41- mile hiking/biking, canoe/kayak corridor along the Grand River from downtown Grand Rapids to the Lake Michigan Pier in Grand Haven. Bea and her sister Joyce Versluis worked with Ottawa County Parks to develop the namesake Idema Explorers Trail and the Idema Explorers Camp. Bea also helped establish parks along the Greenway including Grand Ravine Park next to GVSU in Allendale – near the dairy farm where they grew up. Bea was looking forward to the completion of these projects and realizing the joy they will bring to the people of West Michigan.

Despite all the success, Bea Idema remained a humble, kind and soft-spoken person. Aunt Bea (as she was called by so many) will be remembered for her smile, adventuresome spirit, and her fun sayings such as: “What was that now?”; “Get in your basket”; “Bad news”; “Your health is your wealth”; and End of story.” And when something went wrong, she would say “Oh berries!”

Bea was a prolific letter writer, and her notes and greetings to family and friends were immediately recognizable as Bea’s by the handwriting and poetic style. Bea would regularly include a verse from the Bible, often from Psalms, Proverbs or Ecclesiastes, and jot them down sideways in the margins of the letter.

Bea is survived by her sisters, Ethel Brunger and Joyce Versluis, sister-in-law Diana Aldrink, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in passing by her husband William Idema, brothers John (Kathryn) Alderink, Jake (Janice) Aldrink, Harry (Beatrice) Aldrink, and Cal Aldrink, sister Irene (Chet) Lautenbach, and brother-in-laws Peter Brunger and Philip Versluis.

Bea will be lovingly remembered by her extended family and friends and the West Michigan community.

One of Bea’s favorite Bible passages is Ecclesiastes 3:1-8:

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”