Marian Winters

Marian Winters was a woman who devoted her life to the two most important things: her family, and her faith. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, and a woman who did the Lord’s work every day of her life, a life we were so blessed to have shared.

Marian’s story began on a cold winter day in 1911, just after the Christmas holiday in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Those were exciting times in our nation’s history, during the birth of the automobile and the airplane. On December 30, 1911, Frank and Ida (DeRegt) Van Ysseldyke celebrated the birth of a baby girl, a daughter they named Marian.

Marian joined a family that would eventually total 10 children, seven girls and two boys, in the family’s home on the North side of the city, where her father worked hard in Grand Rapids’ booming furniture industry. Her second home, of course, was the Netherlands Reformed Church, where her family was faithful members. That is where the basis for her lifelong faith was formed.

Marian was a bright young girl and learned many wonderful skills from her mother. She learned to play the organ beautifully and became a gifted seamstress, two skills which served her well later in life. She also learned excellent office skills, particularly typing and worked as a receptionist at Smeelink Optical for several years after school.

One day Marian met a wonderful young man named Joe Winters, who went to her church. The sparks flew between them, and they soon fell in love and were eventually married. The couple was blessed with three wonderful sons over the years, Donald, David and Larry.

Marian was a wonderful wife and mother, and also found fulfillment in her church. She played the organ for services for many years, and became a longtime, active member of the Friendship Missionary Society, providing clothing to the underprivileged in other countries.

Marian had a passion for serving the Lord and wanted to help spread the gospel. She would use her talents to transcribe sermons from tape to type for distribution. Marion did this for many years and transcribed many sermons.

She also loved to sew and was a talented seamstress. She even made wedding dresses and made her daughter-in-law Nancy’s dress.

Marian’s beloved Joe died in 1994, but she persevered for many years, thanks to her family and her faith. She lived in their home on the north side for many years, until moving to Northview Manor in 2005, where she passed away on Thursday, December 06, 2007, at the age of 96.

Marian was a wonderful woman, who lived a long and wonderful life, a life so full of faith and of family. Today her love and her faith lives on in all who knew her. She will be greatly missed.

Marian was preceded in death by her husband Joseph Winters. Surviving are her children: Donald and Maxine Winters, David and Nancy Winters, Larry Winters, her grandchildren: Donald and Laurie Winters, Kevin Winters, Kurt Winters, Karen and Mike Hopp, Mike and Amy Winters, Lori and David Van’t Voort, Marcia and Tony DeJonge, Philip and Beth Bivins, 14 great grandchildren, her sister, Dorothy VanderMale, sister-in-law Frances Ysseldyke and several nieces and nephews. Funeral and committal services will be held Saturday at 10:30 A.M. at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Van Strien - Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield NE with her son David Winters officiating. Interment will be in Cascade Township Cemetery. Mrs. Winters reposes at the funeral home where relatives and friends may meet her family Friday from 6-9 P.M. For those who wish, memorial contributions to Faith Hospice or the Friendship Missionary Society would be appreciated. To read more of Marian’s life, share a memory or sign the guestbook please visit www.lifestorynet.com