Anne Offringa

A thoughtful and kindhearted woman, Anne Offringa lived to to care for and nurture countless others who were within her reach. She lived each day to the fullest for as long as she was able, even when the way before her was not easy. With the love of her life by her side for more than 50 years, Anne enjoyed seeing magnificent places through her travels for many years. She was a woman of faith who was never overbearing in her beliefs, yet through the way she lived her life it was easy to see what it means to be a woman after God’s own heart. A dear woman to many, Anne will be dearly missed while her memory is forever cherished.

Born during the decade of the Roaring Twenties, Anne Mae delighted her parents from the time she drew her first breath on November 11, 1927. She was raised in the family home at 1575 Tamarack NW by her parents, Gerrit and Elizabeth (Hooisema) Veenboer. Anne’s father worked as a builder in Grand Rapids, which was a booming furniture industry at the time, while her mother was a busy homemaker. She was close to her two brothers, John and Melvin, and also grew up alongside her two sisters, Kathleen and Marian. While growing up, Anne loved to ice skate. The Veenboers were members at Alpine Avenue Christian Reformed Church, and Anne attended the local schools.

Although the 1920s were a time of prosperity within our nation, the 1930s were a much different story. When Anne was just two years old, the crash of the stock market in October of 1929 sent our nation and much of the world spiraling into the depths of the Great Depression that dominated the entire decade of the thirties. Jobs became scarce, which drove the unemployment rate up to over 25 percent, leaving families to do whatever they could to make ends meet. These days were especially difficult for Anne and her family when her father unexpectedly died in a work related accident in 1930, which left her mother to raise her five children alone. By the time Anne was in high school, the Great Depression had given way to our nation’s involvement in the fight for the preservation of our freedoms during WWII. Anne spent her years in high school at South High School and Davis Tech.

It was while at Davis Tech that Anne found the young man of her dreams. His name was Robert Offringa, and they met through his sister, Jeanette. Although Robert was smitten with young Anne right from the start, it took him some time to muster up enough courage to ask her out to a rollerskating party. That first date was in 1944, and the couple continued to date for four years. With a desire to establish a life together, the sweethearts were married at Alpine Avenue Christian Reformed Church on April 23, 1948.

After a wonderful honeymoon in Denver, Colorado, the newlyweds initially settled into a small apartment on Burton Street NW and began attending Oakdale Park Christian Reformed Church as they shared a deep Christian faith. Together they welcomed their only son, Robert, into their hearts and home on August 11, 1950. Anne and Robert then moved their family of three to a home on Courtney NW on the city’s West Side, and they became members of Alpine Avenue Christian Reformed Church. They later joined West Leonard Christian Reformed Church where Anne was in charge of the bulletin. As a mother Anne made it seem effortless to balance being loving with being a firm disciplinarian when needed. She helped out numerous other families as she did a lot of babysitting.

Even though nothing was better than caring for her family, Anne also kept busy with other things. As a young girl she worked building speakers, and she later worked at Lear Siegler before settling in as secretary at Eleanor Kramer Realty until she retired. Anne and Robert enjoyed going out to eat and also did some traveling together including memorable trips to California, Puerto Rico, and Rome after they retired. There were also family trips to Niagara Falls and Gettysburg. When it came to music Anne loved music from the fifties for the most part.

Later in life Anne was deeply saddened with the death of her beloved Robert in 2006. She lived independently for a time, but when she required more care she moved to the Christian Rest Home where she remained throughout the rest of her life’s journey.

All who knew Anne Offringa would agree that she was a woman who could be depended on as she was always there for those who needed her whether in ways great or small. Her faith was the compass she used to direct her path, and it was with her loved ones near that she was truly fulfilled. Anne was never one to worry about the things of this world, rather, she filled her days with doing what she could to serve the Lord she loved. Life will never be the same without her here, but the lives of numerous others will be forever changed because of her love.

OFFRINGA – Mrs. Anne Offringa, aged 85, of Grand Rapids went to be with her Lord on August 29, 2013. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert. She will be deeply missed by her son and daughter-in-law, Robert Offringa and Jan Helleckson of San Diego, CA; brothers and sisters-in-law, John and Bernice Veenboer, Melvin and Delores Veenboer; and many nieces and nephews. Services will be held at 10 AM on Thursday, September 5, 2013 at the Christian Rest Home, 1000 Edison NW. Friends may meet the family on Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW. Memorial contributions may be made to the Christian Rest Home. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to read Anne's lifestory, leave a memory, or sign the guestbook online.