Faye Postma

Faye Postma was a loving wife, grandmother, and great-grandmother. A hard worker her whole life, she faithfully helped her family and later her husband, Cliff, successfully run their family farm. She knew the value of a life well lived and nothing brought her greater joy than to share in the many accomplishments of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She leaves behind a rich legacy of being an independent person who managed to care for herself well into her aging years. A true supporter of her family and friends, Faye will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.

Upon returning from World War I, Arthur Vinkemulder married Frances (DeWitt). They welcomed their first daughter, Faye Elaine, on July 17, 1921, in the farmhouse of her grandfather. Born the oldest of five children, Faye brought great joy into the hearts of her loving parents. Later, she was joined by her three sisters, Helen, Muriel, Yvonne and her brother, Don.

At the age of three, her family moved to Grand Rapids. She attended Kelloggsville Schools but returned to the farm in Rudyard each summer. Faye lived a typical childhood of the times where students still walked to school and did chores when they returned home. Life for Faye was not without its trials. Her elementary school walk took her through places that lurked with danger to a primary school child through barred up factory parking lots where strangers lingered. Due to Depression-era conditions, her family moved a lot and she attended three high schools while living in five different homes before her family returned to Rudyard where she graduated from high school in 1939,.

Faye valued a personal relationship with Jesus Christ from an early age. During the summer after graduation she was baptized in the Carp River. Although a member of Rudyard Bible Church, Faye began attending youth group at Rudyard Christian Reformed Church where she met Cliff Postma, who would change the course of her life forever. They became engaged, but sadly Cliff was called to serve in WWII. With a strong desire to teach, Faye worked for room and board while attending Northern Michigan Teachers College where she pursued a teaching certificate. Faye was blessed to obtain a teaching position in Raber. Often sending money back to her parents, she never turned down extra work and even took a side job as a janitor to supplement her income. Later, she taught at Maple Grove School and Brimley. Soon after Cliff returned from the war, they were married in a double wedding ceremony with her sister Helen and Merle Brood on December 19, 1945. Meager times made their honeymoon an excuse to return Cliff’s younger brother Fritz to his military base in California, accompanied by Cliff’s parents, John and Anna.

Upon returning home from their honeymoon, she and Cliff began a life of farming. Leaning on her many years working on the family farm as a child , she took it all in stride. There was never any down time when it came to dairy farming, and she was never one to complain. She enjoyed the outdoors and was no stranger to hard work. She and Cliff made a great team. Together, they were energetic and forward thinking. Starting out modestly, they worked hard and made good business decisions including obtaining property, partnering with brother Ray, implementing innovative techniques, and trying new crops and farming methods in order to succeed. With their family growing to include five children, they also always had a large garden that was primarily Faye’s responsibility and that helped to feed her family. Maple Syrup was another big part of the farm. Each spring, she and the children shared more of the barn chores so that Cliff and his extended family could tap the trees. Faye also did all the bookkeeping for the business and there was little time for vacations. Instead those years helped build their character and their closeness as a family.

No better words could describe Faye than selfless. She returned to school to finish her teaching degree and began substitute teaching to help out with finances. She often came home very tired. In addition to her work with children, she enjoyed many years, often as the chair, on the Farm Bureau’s Women’s Committee, covering the entire UP. Her soft spoken manner combined with her conscientious approach made her a natural leader in many areas throughout her community. She participated on the 4-H Council, the Women's Christian Temperance Union, Women Today conferences that challenged women to a life of Christian fellowship and discipleship, and was active in the Rudyard Christian Reformed Church.

Selling their dairy herd in the late 1970s afforded Faye and Cliff many wonderful years in their retirement. They bought a motorhome and traveled to spend winters with daughter Jacque and her family in Florida.. After Cliff passed away in 1993, Faye waited eight years before relocating to Grand Rapids. Eager to continue her faith journey, she became a member of East Leonard Christian Reformed Church. She also mentored with two prison ministry correspondence course programs, Crossroad Bible Institute and Hope for You. She also started a Bible Study group at her senior housing complex that continues to meet to this day. She rejoiced on any occasion anyone came to know her Lord and Savior. A caring and loving role model to the countless lives she touched, Faye’s wonderful memories will be honored by all who knew and loved her.

Faye E. Postma, age 96 of Grand Rapids and formerly of Rudyard, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on August 6, 2017. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clifford, in 1993; son, Dale Postma in 1999; and daughter, Jacque Thaden in 2014. She was preceded in death by all of her siblings. Faye is survived by her children, Ralph and Lynn Postma, Barb and Rog Bosscher, Sherry and George Loxton; son-in-law Tom Thaden; daughter-in-law, Janice Hadfield; 13 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren; sisters-in-law and brother-in-law Rosemary Vinkemulder, Stella and Ferdinand Postma, as well as many nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held at 11 AM in North Rudyard Cemetery on Wednesday, August 9, 2017. The service to honor and remember Faye's life will be held on Tuesday, August 22, 2017, at 2 PM in the Chapel of Fulton Manor of Holland Home, 1450 East Fulton, where friends are invited to visit with her family from 1 PM until the service. For those who wish, memorial contributions may be made to either Crossroad Bible Institute, Wycliffe Bible Translators (FBO Mark and Pauline Nelson) or Rudyard Christian Reformed Church. To share a memory or photo about Faye's life, or to sign her guestbook, please visit www.lifestorynet.com