Jane Steketee

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in Green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul.”

For Jane Steketee, those first two verses of the 23rd Psalm were the guideposts of her life. With the Lord as her shepherd, each verse of her life was nurtured by his tender care. With a loving husband by her side, surrounded by her wonderful family, Jane Steketee knew she had been blessed.

The United States was wading through the aftermath of World War I in the early 1920’s. Companies were increasing productivity while wages were not, causing some to wonder about the economy. For William and Nancy (Van Sluys) DeWitt, life in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was about working and caring for your family, not worrying about the economy. On April 1, 1922, the family welcomed a beautiful baby girl they named Jane Isabel.

Surrounded by her brothers and sisters, Jane grew up and went to school in Grand Rapids - first to Harrison Park School and then on to Union High School where she graduated in 1940. A vivacious and outgoing young lady, Jane took part in many activities while in school. Groups such as the G.U.C., Girl Reserves, the Student Council and the Glee Club filled her days, but this young lady always had time for her studies and earned the privilege of being a member of the Honor Society. While in high school, Jane met a handsome young man named Andrew Steketee. After graduating in 1940, the couple began dating, and Jane worked as a telephone operator for Michigan Bell Telephone Company, a job she held for about five years. In 1942, with another World War consuming the country, Andrew joined the Air Force. Jane continued to work, waiting for him to return safely home. Near the end of the war, while home on leave, Andrew and Jane were married on March 10, 1945, and Andrew was honorably discharged on November 1st, that same year.

The newlyweds began their new life together in a home in the city of Wyoming, Michigan. These were the years of the baby boom and Jane and Andrew were no exception. Son Don was born in 1946, followed by Bruce in 1950 and Mark in 1952. When Nancy, the only girl, was born in 1953, Jane’s family was complete.

While the children were young, the family took many memorable camping trips, cozily housed in the pop-up camper that Andrew had built. And not the same camper each year. Andrew would build a new one in the winter, the family would travel in it during the summer and he would sell it in the fall. Then the next winter he would do it all over again, each time improving over the last one. Jane loved these trips and spending time with her family. Besides visiting the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, they traveled as far away as the Black Hills and Badlands of South Dakota, and throughout Colorado. Later, they built a cabin near Big Star Lake, just south of Baldwin, where they vacationed for over 25 years.

With a growing family, Jane and Andrew moved into an apartment on Lake Michigan Drive NW while Andrew worked on building their new home at 843 Fairfield NW. The family lived in their new home from 1953 to 1990. They then moved to a condo on Skyline Circle. Once the children were grown, Jane went back to work at Consumers Power Company. She later went to Sandy’s Donuts where she worked for fifteen years, finally retiring at the age of 84!

When not working or caring for her family, Jane found relaxation in her many activities and hobbies. She loved flower gardening, especially roses, and watching the birds in her garden. She collected Hummel figurines and took great pleasure in listening to the music of the Gaither Trio. She even attended several of their Praise Gatherings in Indianapolis. With 13 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, Jane was always a fan at their many activities, such as cheerleading, baseball, basketball and speed skating. And as busy as she was, she could usually find time for a fun game of bingo, Yahtzee or other board games. But Jane’s favorite pastime was traveling with Andrew. Experienced travelers, they went coast-to-coast, from Florida to California, and north to Alaska. They enjoyed the many sites of Europe, including the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria and Germany.

Faith in the Lord had always been an important part of Jane’s life. She had been a member of the Richmond Reformed Church for many years, and both she and Andrew were very active in mission projects. They traveled to faraway places like Bolivia and Mexico to share their ministry. Jane even traveled to Alaska to work with Sister Lois. Even at home, Jane imparted God’s love by working at Other Way Ministries and God’s Kitchen.

Tragedy struck in 1998 when Jane’s beloved Andrew passed away and Jane relied on her faith for support, for both her and her family. Her new church family was Fairhaven Ministries, where she remained for the next 10 years. Diagnosed with dementia about two and a half years ago, Jane was able to remain in her home until about one year ago, thanks to the tender loving care of Kim Ritzema, her personal caregiver. Finally, needing more care, Jane moved to St. Ann’s Home in 2007.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Thou anointed my head with oil. My cup overflows. Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Jane I. Steketee, age 86, was reunited in Heaven on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 with her husband Andrew who passed away in 1998. She was the loving mother of Don (Gerrie) Steketee, Bruce (Sue) Steketee, Mark (Nola,) Steketee and Nancy (Robert) Olree. She will be greatly missed by her 13 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sisters and brothers, Eleanor Ekster, William (Wilma) DeWitt, Lois Tuinstra, Jack DeWitt, sister-in-law Marie (Cy) Crandel and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held 11AM Thursday at Lifestory Funeral Homes – Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr NW. Friends may meet the family on Wednesday from 7-9PM and for one hour prior to the service. Special thanks to St. Ann’s and In-House Hospice Solutions for their wonderful and compassionate care. Memorial contributions to the Joseph’s Haven at St. Ann’s Home, 2161 Leonard NW, 49504 would be appreciated. To archive a memory or photo or sign the online guest book, please visit Jane’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com.