Dianne M. Waterloo

As her family and friends can surely attest, Dianne Waterloo truly understood the secret to a life well lived. She was a constant source of strength, even in the most difficult of times, and she always had an encouraging word to say. Nothing brought Dianne greater joy than spending time with her loved ones, no matter how simple the moments. Her unshakeable faith formed the solid foundation of her life, and she poured her heart and soul into all that she did. Dearly loved, Dianne will be forever missed by those who knew her best.

The 1940s are remembered as years of turmoil for the United States and the rest of the world. WWII raged across the globe for the first half of the decade, enveloping nations who would have preferred to remain neutral. Many servicemen were called away from home, and all those who remained stateside also worked tirelessly to support the war effort. It was during this trying time that Marinus and Margaret (Spruit) Waterloo of Grand Rapids, Michigan, were eagerly anticipating the birth of their second child. On October 30, 1945, their wait was over, and they welcomed their daughter, Dianne Marie, into the world.

Growing up, Dianne was a typical young girl of her generation in many ways. She was raised in the family home on Emerald Avenue alongside her older brother, Ron. Dianne and Ron both learned to play piano at a young age, and she enjoyed golfing. The Waterloo family would often take fishing vacations, but Dianne was usually more interested in reading a book. Throughout her childhood, she attended local schools, including Creston Christian Elementary and Grand Rapids Christian High School. Dianne graduated in 1963, ready to move on to bigger and better things.

Following her graduation from high school, Dianne went on to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. She spent three years at Butterworth School of Nursing and graduated in 1966 with her RN degree. Dianne then built a fulfilling career for herself doing what she loved. Her compassionate heart made her an excellent nurse, and she worked for years as a floor nurse and later in outpatient surgery at Butterworth Hospital. After 45 years of dedicated service to her patients and her community, Dianne retired in May of 2011.

All who knew Dianne can certainly agree that, of all the things she loved in life, she treasured her family above all else. She remained very close to her brother, Ron, and her parents, Marinus and Margaret, all throughout her life, even caring for her parents as they aged. Dianne’s six nieces were her pride and joy. Her family grew to include several great nieces and great nephews as well. Dianne always considered herself blessed to be surrounded by so many loved ones.

Dianne took her faith very seriously, and her church was her second family. She was a lifelong member of Fourth Reformed Church. Dianne was very active in the Tuesday prayer and Bible study and the women’s knitting group. She even created a ministry of her own that focused on sending loving and encouraging cards to many individuals. Dianne sang as an alto in the choir, and she loved being involved in the church’s outreach to the neighborhood. She was very passionate about what she believed in, and though she was an introverted person her heart of service allowed her to pour into others through her church.

Never one to sit still for long, Dianne pursued many hobbies to stay busy in her free time. She enjoyed listening to Sandy Patty and 16 Singing Men. Dianne liked knitting and cross-stitching, and over the years, she knit several prayer shawls and made fleece tie blankets. She wasn’t the biggest fan of technology but tolerated it well. Dianne was a very good driver and loved sporty Ford cars. She and her best friend, Sandy, enjoyed traveling and taking weekend vacations around Michigan together. Dianne liked to read mysteries. Her favorite thing to say was, “Always keep a song in your heart,” and she truly exemplified the words.

Later in life, Dianne began to struggle with her health. She was eventually diagnosed with PRP, a skin condition that was very painful for her. Dianne also had hip replacement surgery and was then diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Throughout these hardships, she leaned on her faith and her loved ones, especially her best friend, Sandy, who moved into Dianne’s home to care for her. Sandy was Dianne’s advocate in the medical world and her dearest friend at home.

When reflecting on the life of Dianne Waterloo, it is easy to see both her unwavering strength and her unconditional love for her family. She was a compassionate soul with a heart for service. Dianne’s primary focus in life was fostering deep and personal relationships with those around her. She faced challenges head-on with a spirit of faith and fierce determination. Though she will be deeply missed, Dianne leaves behind a priceless legacy that her loved ones will be proud to carry on in her footsteps.

WATERLOO - Dianne Marie Waterloo passed from life to LIFE and went to be with Jesus, her Lord and Savior, on Saturday, December 9, 2023. Dianne was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on October 30, 1945, to Marinus and Margaret (Spruit) Waterloo who preceded her in death. Also preceding her in death are her nephew, Matthew Waterloo; niece, Sheri (Pete) VanBruggen; and grandnephew, Samuel Guthrie. She is survived by her brother Ronald, his wife Mary, her nieces Kristi (Loren) Washburn, Julie (Steven) Guthrie, Laurie (Robert) Nordstrom, Carrie (Kenneth) Krause, and Betsy (Jaime) Ventura, along with many grandnieces and grandnephews and her dedicated friend Sandra Moll. Dianne graduated from Butterworth School of Nursing in 1966 with her RN degree. She shared her compassionate heart over the years as a floor nurse and later in outpatient surgery at Butterworth Hospital for 45 years before retiring in May of 2011. She was a life-long member of Fourth Reformed Church and participated in many ministries, including the Tuesday prayer and Bible study group and the Fourth knitting group. She also enjoyed making fleece-tie blankets as gifts, blessed many with personal cards and was a faithful prayer warrior. She will be remembered for her deep love for others shown in her countless pursuits of kindness. The Funeral Service will be held at 3 PM on Friday, December 15, 2023 at Fourth Reformed Church, 1226 Union Ave NE, Grand Rapids 49505. The family will receive friends from 5-7 PM on Thursday at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Van Strien Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield Ave NE and at the church on Friday for one hour prior to the service. Contributions in her memory may be made to Fourth Reformed Church Union Gardens. Please visit www.heritagelifestory.com to read her life story, submit a favorite memory, photo or to sign the guestbook online.