Marilyn DeVries

Marilyn’s story began on a warm spring day in 1933, in the bustling city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was the Great Depression, and times were tough on Arnold and Harriet (VanderPloeg) Wolma, who owned a dairy business in the city. Yet on Friday, April 28, 1933, the couple found reason to celebrate, with the birth of a beautiful baby girl, a daughter they named Marilyn Joyce.

Marilyn joined her older sister Ruth in the family’s home on the west side of Grand Rapids, where the family faithfully attended the 12th Street Christian Reformed Church each Sunday. Eventually her father would leave the dairy business to become the fulltime custodian at their church, which became a second home to young Marilyn, and where she would form the basis for her lifelong faith in the Lord, which guided her throughout her life.

Marilyn attended Westside Christian School, and later Grand Rapids Christian High School. When she was in grade school, she had a classmate named Harwin (Harv) DeVries, and by the time they reached eighth grade together, they became better acquainted. They began dating in high school, and then the young couple was married, on November 4, 1950, beginning so many wonderful years together.

The newlyweds settled into a home on the west side of Grand Rapids. The young couple was blessed with four wonderful children in the coming years, first two boys, Bob and Jack, and then two daughters, Deb and Deann.

Harv provided for the family with his homebuilding business, which meant the family always had a nice, new home to live in — but they had to move every time it sold! The family must have moved 20 times over the years, but Marilyn was very supportive of her husband’s business, and took the moves in stride. She also possessed a natural gift for interior decorating, and would help Harv pick out the colors and even gave her input on the floor plan of the homes, too. Eventually Harv built a beautiful home on the west side where the family put down roots, and lived since the mid-1980s.

Even though they moved around a lot, the family had one constant in their life, their fellowship and faith at the 12th Street Christian Reformed Church. Marilyn participated in Bible study groups and also sang in the choir, and was blessed with a beautiful voice. She always loved music, particularly religious classical music, with the Hallelujah Chorus her all-time favorite, which was her “theme song” throughout her lifetime.

The family did much together when the kids were growing up, with trips to the Smokey Mountains, Gettysburg, Colorado (and to the top of Pikes Peak), and New England, too. Marilyn wasn’t much of a history buff, but she did enjoy the shopping! (Especially L.L. Bean). In the summertime, the family often went camping, especially at Brower Park Campground along the Muskegon River, and the State Park in Pentwater, Michigan. They started off in a pop-up camper, and then graduated to a travel trailer over the years. Whenever they were in Pentwater, they’d head off to Ludington to eat at Gibb’s.

The DeVries family had many beloved traditions, though. Saturday nights at home were a time to go out to eat in Grand Rapids, either at Mr. Steak, or the Rainbow Grill, two of Marilyn’s favorites. Sundays were of course for church, followed by Marilyn’s famous pot roast feasts. She wasn’t always enthusiastic about housework, but Marilyn enjoyed cooking and baking, and was wonderful at both. Her patented chocolate cherry cake was a beloved staple of birthdays in their family for years.

Marilyn and Harv were also very social people, and had many close friends they got together with, particularly for their annual New Year’s Eve parties, with each couple taking turns hosting over the years.

Marilyn DeVries loved to play a little game with people she met, a game called “Dutch Bingo,” helping them get acquainted and find friends in common. It was something she was so good at, finding a common ground with people, sharing her family, her friends and especially, her faith. Marilyn was the consummate Christian wife, mother and grandmother, who always found the common ground, through her uncommon love and faith.

Marilyn was an exceptional Christian woman, wife and mother. Her family was always her priority, and she kept a very neat and organized home, with the same structure she brought to everything in her life. When her kids were young she was an excellent mentor, and very supportive of their school activities and sporting events. She was a sports fan, anyway, and enjoyed rooting for the Tigers.

When Marilyn was in her mid-50s, she developed diabetes, which caused her other health problems as time went by. Then in 2002, her health required her to have more care, and she moved to the Christian Rest Home, where she made many good friends, and delighted the staff with her singing of the Hallelujah Chorus, too.

Marilyn suffered the difficult losses of each of her sons in the mid-2000s, both to brain tumors. It was so difficult for the family, and more so for Marilyn to comprehend due to her dementia. Sadly, Marilyn passed away on Sunday, June 24, 2007, at the Christian Rest Home, at the age of 74.

Marilyn was a wonderful woman, who lived a wonderful life, a life so full of faith, family and friendship. She loved to find the common ground with the people around her, opening her heart and her life to theirs. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend, whose life we were so blessed to have shared. She will be greatly missed.

She was preceded in death by her sons Bob DeVries and Jack DeVries, her parents Arnold and Harriet Wolma. Surviving are her husband, of 56 years, Harv DeVries, her children: Deb and Jim Feyen, Deann and Tom Wright, her daughters-in-law: Kathy DeVries, Colleen DeVries, her grandchildren, her sister and brother-in-law Ruth and Rev. Wilmer Witte, her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Ed and Dorothy DeVries, Ruth and Bob Waalkes and Nella and Jack Visser and nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Thursday at 2 P.M. at the Heritage Life Story Funeral Home, Alt and Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. N.W. with Rev. Neil Jasperse of West Leonard Christian Reformed Church and Rev. Wilmer Witte officiating. Interment will be in Rosedale Memorial Park. Mrs. DeVries reposes at the funeral chapel where relatives and friends may meet her family Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9 P.M. and on Thursday from 1 P.M. until the time of the funeral service. For those who wish, memorial contributions to the Christian Rest Home or Hospice of Michigan would be appreciated. To read more of Marilyn’s Life Story, share a memory or sign the online register book please visit www.lifestorynet.com