Betty Lou Veenstra

For Betty Lou Veenstra, family always came first. She had a true "servant's heart," and lived her faith through tireless service to others. Whether it was volunteering her time in the community, taking care of her children, or helping out a friend or relative in need, Betty Lou dedicated her life to helping others. Betty Lou's kind heart, generous spirit, and deep love for others is a true inspiration, and will live on in the hearts and minds of all those who had the privilege of knowing her.

Betty Lou was born on August 8, 1934, to proud parents Anthony and Elizabeth (Evanczo) DeGraaf. Betty Lou was their first-daughter, and had three siblings: Bob, Jackie, and Ed. The DeGraaf family lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Anthony earned a living as a carpenter and custom home builder.

After graduating from Creston High School in 1952, Betty Lou found a job at an insurance company. She later went on to work as a teller at Old Kent Bank in Standale, Michigan. While working in Standale, Betty Lou met a handsome young man named Joe Veenstra, who owned a gas station and service station. Betty Lou and Joe hit it off, and started dating. The young couple regularly went out to the local county fairs and community carnivals - it was only years later that they discovered neither really liked fairs much (they each thought the other enjoyed them)! Likewise, Betty Lou pretended to like coffee (and only recently confessed that she only drank it in order to spend time with Joe). Betty Lou and Joe soon fell in love, and were married on February 9, 1962, in Lamont, Michigan.

Following a Florida honeymoon, Betty Lou and Joe settled down into a new home on 1865 Pheasant Street NW. Betty Lou brought a son, Ken, to the marriage, whom Joe adopted and raised as his own child. Betty Lou and Joe were also blessed with five children of their own, Glen, Mark, Jon, Betty Jo and Kathy. Betty Lou was a wonderful mother, and always put her family first. For years the family had a pool in the back yard and Betty Lou spent many hours in the pool. This was quite remarkable considering she was afraid of the water. She even took swimming lessons which helped some, but never cured her of her fear. But she would still get in to the pool with the kids as they learned to swim. In addition to her own children, she welcomed Joe's father in to the home and he lived with the family for five years. Over the years she would also take her brother Ed into her home periodically to care for him when her mother traveled or was ill. Betty Lou regularly visited her mother and assisted with cleaning and housekeeping for her mother

Betty Lou was an amazing homemaker, skilled in virtually all the domestic arts. She enjoyed baking and candy-making, and made delicious meals for her family (she described her cooking as "high volume, low cost"). She canned fresh fruit and produce every year, and would often do over one thousand jars a year. Many of this produce was grown right at home, in Betty Lou and Joe's large garden. Betty Lou was also a talented seamstress, making most of her children's clothes herself. In fact, the girls remember wearing store-bought clothing for the first time in middle school.

The Veenstra family faithfully attended services at Remembrance Reformed Church, where Betty Lou was a loyal member for many years. She was generous with her time. She volunteered as a teacher in Friendship Club at Westend church for 28 years. Friendship club offered bible study and worship opportunities for the disabled and mentally challenged individuals.

In the summers, Betty Lou and Joe liked to take the kids traveling - Each year the family would take a summer vacation for one week. Sometime the family would go camping, but Betty Lou really did not like to camp. Often the family vacations involved traveling many miles such as going to the mountains of Tennessee, or out west to the Black Hills, or some years just going to the upper peninsula, Over the years Betty Lou and Joe had visited all the States except for Hawaii.. They were also enthusiastic bikers, and one year the whole family rode their bikes to Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon, Michigan from their home in Walker.

After retirement, Betty Lou and Joe enjoyed the opportunity to do more extensive traveling. Although Betty Lou didn't like flying, they still managed to visit Austria, Australia, and Alaska. They remained physically active, and regularly took bike rides of up to ten or fifteen miles (usually with an ice cream break in the middle). Just last year, Betty Lou and Joe traveled to Mackinac Island with her daughters and one of her son's family. After a few days of biking, her children and grandchildren complained about being tired and sore but Betty Lou said she felt great. (I guess she really biked them under the table) At home, Betty Lou enjoyed knitting, and made beautiful afghans for each of her daughters, daughter-in-laws and grandchildren. Joe and Betty Lou, in addition to being husband and wife for fifty years, were also best friends - they were blessed to have each other.

Sadly, in 2010 Betty Lou was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Even as her disease progressed, her primary concern was for Joe and the kids. She was relieved to find out that she had beat the cancer and was in remission. However after the final chemo she never really recovered her strength. She was a strong lady, with a high tolerance for pain, and didn't let the disease slow her down - in fact after the last chemo, she traveled tor Brandson, MO and to Mackanaw Island. And the day before she went into the hospital she even canned 21 quarts of peaches. On the day before her passing, she even asked for some of her peaches and agreed they were the best she has ever tasted.

Caring, kind-hearted, and selfless, Betty Lou was a devoted wife, a loving mother and grandmother, and a loyal friend. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her many friends and family members.

Betty Lou Veenstra died on September 23, 2012, at the age of 78, and is now in the arms of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She was preceded in death by her parents, Anthony and Elizabeth DeGraaf; her brother, Ed DeGraaf; and her sister Jackie Hansen. Betty Lou is survived by her husband, Joe; her children, Ken (Stacy), Glen (Nancy), Mark, Jon (Wendy), BettyJo, and Kathy; her grandchildren, Katie (Andrew), Kelly, Ben, Drew, Taylor, and Grace; 2 great-grandchildren; her brother, Bob (Mitzi) DeGraaf; her brothers-in-law, Thorval Hansen and Clarence Carlon; and many nieces, nephews and friends

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday at Remembrance Church, 4575 Rememberance Rd NW. Friends may visit with her family from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. on Thursday at Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes, 851 Leonard St. NW, and for one hour prior to the service at the church. Contributions in her memory to Friendship Club c/o Westend CRC would be appreciated. Please visit Betty Lou's personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can learn more about her life, share a favorite memory or photo, and sign the online guestbook