Esther Terpstra

Esther Terpstra built her life around hard work, family and her faith. She displayed a strength of character and a pure and simple faith in God that carried her through all that came her way. A devoted wife, mother and grandmother, Esther derived endless joy from watching her family grow and succeed.

The turn of the century decade, from 1900 to 1909, was one of transition and progress. The industrial age was in full swing and mass production made prices fall to all time lows. Henry Ford provided the first affordable car and the Sunday drive became a national pastime. In the bustling city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, life for Martin and Isabell (Hage) Lindhout was also in transition. On January 21, 1909, they welcomed the birth of their daughter, Esther Mabel. She was the second youngest of their nine children.

Esther grew up on the northeast side of Grand Rapids in a home they later lost in the Great Depression. Her mother was a traditional homemaker, while her father worked as a painter and as a custodian at the East Leonard Christian Reformed Church, where the family was also members. Esther received her education at Beckwith Elementary School and was among the first students to attend the newly built Creston High. She left school, however, after the 9th grade to care for her ailing mother.

Esther was in her 20s when she married Albert Antonides, and they had three children together: Allen, Evelyn and Gordon. Unfortunately, their marriage did not last and they divorced in the late 1940s. Esther then moved with her children to a home at 1359 Michigan Street NE, where she raised them on her own. It was said she was a stern disciplinarian, but instilled in them many good values. One of their least favorite lessons, though, was having to eat all their vegetables at dinner, and there were usually two kinds at each meal. To support her family, Esther worked at Model Linen for a while before becoming a cashier at Sunshine Supermarket for several years. How Esther found the time and energy to do what she did is a testament to her commitment to her family!

In the mid 1950s, Esther was set up on a blind date with John Terpstra through his brother, Oscar. John admired Esther for her strong faith and values, not to mention her beautiful eyes. The two fell hopelessly in love from the start and were happily married in August of 1959. After marrying, the couple made their home on Fruitridge Avenue, but later moved to 456 Parkside NW. Esther and John loved spending all their time together. They were pretty perfectly matched pair too – he was outgoing and she was the quiet type, and they brought out the best in each other. They both loved the outdoors and the many activities it afforded, including camping, fishing, golfing and even yard work. Along with their families, the couple camped regularly up near Lake Superior. On one such trip, Esther was all excited about catching a big “moth” in a shirt, which turned out to be a bat. She was in her 90s then.

One of Esther’s favorite places to be was in her garden or picking fruit and she canned everything from spring until fall. In her quieter moments, Esther kept her hands busy doing some knitting and crocheting. She was also a great cook and made many delicious meals for her family over the years. Blessed with many grandchildren and great grandchildren, Esther was always available to babysit and loved to play games with the kids.

The one thing that upheld Esther throughout her life was her faith in God. She was a longtime member of Walker United Reformed Church and was active in the Ladies Society. Esther found great reverence in listening to traditional hymns, two of her favorites were “Do Lord” and “Jesus Loves Me.” In later years, Esther suffered with dementia, so her family would sing her those old hymns she loved and when they didn’t know the words, she somehow filled them in. She was truly a woman of great faith.

Esther was a gracious and loving woman who lived her life by being an example of a devoted wife, caring mother, proud grandmother and faithful Christian. She leaves warm memories and lasting love in the hearts of everyone blessed to know her.

Esther Terpstra, age 99, went to her Heavenly home on Sunday, May 25, 2008. She was preceded in death by her husband, John; siblings; and sons-in-law, James Zahm, Lynwood Holtrop, and John Kaptein. Esther is survived by her children: Allen (Barb) Antonides, Evelyn (Rich) Ekkens, Gordon (Roberta) Antonides, Royce (Delores) Terpstra, Shirley Holtrop, Sharon Zahm, Jacquelyn O’Mealey, Kathryn Hoogewind, and Nancy (Del) Wiersma; 39 grandchildren, 89 great-grandchildren and 7 great-great-grandchildren. A special thank you to the staff at the Christian Rest Home for their kind and compassionate care.

The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday May 29, at Walker United Reformed Church. Friends may meet the family from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28, at Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes, 851 Leonard St. NW, Grand Rapids. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Christian Rest Home. Please visit Esther’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory or photo with her family or sign her online guest book, if you are unable to attend.