Ann Hofstra

Ann Hofstra was a special woman – devoted to her family and her faith. She was a compassionate and loving mother and grandmother, who gave selflessly to enrich the lives of those around her. Ann led a simple and dignified life, filled with the family and friends who brought her life immeasurable joy. With Ann’s sense of humor and warm hospitality, no one was ever a stranger for long. Like her father, she loved to have people laugh with her.

Ann was born on August 23, 1929, in the town of Spijk in the province of Groningen of the Netherlands to Meindert and Elske (Pijper) Flikkema. Ann was part of a very large family; she was the second youngest of eleven children. While her mother had her hands full as a homemaker, her father owned his own transport business, delivering items by canal barge and trucks. In fact, everyone in the Flikkema family helped out in the business at one time or another. Ann attended school through the 8th grade and then worked with her father delivering coal. The Flikkemas were members of the Christian Reformed Church of the Netherlands, and this strong Christian upbringing would always be an important part of Ann’s life. The Flikkemas would rely on their faith to survive the horrific days of World War II. Ann’s parents would hide her brothers to protect them when the Germans came around looking for young men to draft into their work camps. Ann told of how she would sit on the roof of their house in Spijk and watch the bombers fly from Germany towards England, and then, later in the war, from England towards Germany. Life was difficult during the war. The Flikkemas had to be very resourceful to survive.

At 18 Ann and her parents sailed aboard the Queen Elizabeth to the United States. They settled on the south side of Grand Rapids, Michigan and became members of the Eastern Avenue Christian Reformed Church. Ann soon found a job at Hekman Bakery to help support her family. At church one Sunday, Ann noticed a handsome young man named Maynard Hofstra, whose family recently immigrated to the U.S. and was living in Grand Rapids. Maynard was training in the Army at Fort Custer and was on furlough home to see his family. Ann and Maynard were smitten with each other from the start, the two penned many “courtship” letters to one another during his service in the Korean conflict, and upon his honorable discharge, Maynard and Ann were happily married on August 21, 1953.

After saying “I do,” the newlyweds settled into married life together in an apartment on East Fulton Street., then to a home on Van Alan S.E. then to another on Eastern N.E. They eventually put down roots in a new home on Highbluff N.E., where they remained to this day. During this time, the couple filled their hearts and home with the joy and laughter of six wonderful children: Andrew, Ellen, Mitchell, Kenneth, Marianne and Kristine. They joined the newly formed Riverside Christian Reformed Congregation. Ann enjoyed being active in many church activities and contributed many beautiful banners for the church, including baptism banners with the children’s names on them.

Ann had a special talent for stretching the family budget. In addition to feeding and clothing 6 children, she made sure that they all attended Christian schools. Besides being a devoted wife, mother and Christian, Ann also worked for 26 years as a bus driver for the Grand Rapids Christian School Association. She took great pride in her work and enjoyed it every day. She knew the years were marching on when she started noticing she was driving the children of her original students from years before. In the summer months when she and her children were off of school, they looked forward to the annual Hofstra family vacation, which was usually spent on a lake in northern Michigan – and the entire family would stay in cottages. During these vacations all of the kids would learn to water ski. At home, they had a pool in their backyard, so during the summer many of the neighborhood kids would come and swim with their kids. Ann became known as the “Kool Aid Mom” because she always had some ready when they got out of the pool.

Ann had many hobbies she enjoyed in her leisure time. Ann was an award winning, museum quality quilter. Quilting was by far her favorite pastime, and over the years she made many beautiful quilts for her family and friends, all of which they cherish immensely. There was a plaque in their home that said "Blessed are the children of the piecemakers for they shall inherit the quilts." which Ann referred to often. Ann received special recognition when she would show her quilts with the Michigan Quilters Guild. Ann enjoyed cooking for her family, and, like her mother, there was always enough for any unexpected guest. She loved to watch the cooking channel and see the many different foods they made. As a couple, Ann and Maynard made several trips back to the Netherlands to visit family and friends. Closer to home, they enjoyed heading north to Mackinaw City to walk the Mackinaw Bridge on Labor Day. Above all, though, Ann loved to be surrounded by the love and smiles of her family, and loved spending her time as a doting grandmother. She always had a warm smile on her face when spending time with her grandkids.

In 1998, Ann suffered a serious stroke and had to retire from work. Sadly, she also had to give up her quilting, which she loved. In 2005, Ann lost her beloved husband Maynard to cancer after 52 years of marriage. Heartbroken, Ann found comfort in the company of her family. She and her daughters and granddaughter took a memorable trip back to the Netherlands, which Ann believed would be her last trip home. Though, she did have the opportunity to entertain friends and family who came from the Netherlands to visit; she was always a gracious host.

What gave Ann the greatest joy was sharing herself with her family, offering them the most precious thing she possessed – her time. It is a gift none of them will ever forget.

Ann F. Hofstra, age 80 of Grand Rapids, MI passed away on Wednesday, October 28, 2009, at home surrounded by her loving family. She was preceded in death by her husband, Maynard Hofstra. Surviving are her children: Andrew and Roxanne Hofstra, Ellen Phaff, Mitchell Hofstra, Kenneth Hofstra, Marianne and Ed Grusnis, Kristine Hofstra and her partner, Elizabeth Wiley; her 10 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren; her sisters, Grace Wildeboer, Eike Van’t Hof; her sisters-in-law, Edie Flikkema and Grace Flikkema; her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Wilbur and Joan Hofstra, Harry and Shirley Hofstra, Tena and Hank Dietering, Lucy and Chris Van Lonkhuizen; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, November 2, at 11 a.m. at Riverside Christian Reformed Church, 604 Comstock Blvd. N.E., Grand Rapids, with Rev. Calvin Van Reken officiating. Interment will be in Fairplains Cemetery. Relatives and friends are invited to visit with her family on Sunday, November 1, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Heritage Life Story Funeral Home, Van Strien – Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield N.E., Grand Rapids. For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to Faith Hospice or Riverside Christian Reformed Church. Please visit Ann’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory with her family or sign her online guest book.