Ruth Roskam

Ruth Roskam was a woman who devoted her life to her husband and children as well as several foster children over the years, but it was her faithful devotion to her Lord and Savior, which became more evident in her later years, for which she will be remembered most. Ruth possessed the gift of hospitality. Also, she was not above doing extra work to help support her family. Even as her own health challenged her, Ruth’s faith remained strong as she stated, “God gives everyone something to bear, but without Him with me, I couldn’t do it.”

Ruth’s story began in Friesland, the Netherlands, on December 13, 1928. She was the second youngest, of seven children, born to Jisk and Jeltje (VanKeulen) Boschma. Ruth and her siblings also worked in their parents’ grocery store in town. Her family were members of the Christian Reformed Church in the Netherlands where Ruth learned the fundamentals of the Christian faith that would sustain her throughout her life’s journey.

Although the Netherlands intended to remain neutral during WWII, they were invaded by Nazi Germany in 1940. Ruth recalled these days vividly as her family was greatly impacted by the war that became so real to this country. Life was difficult, and she remembered the soldiers coming into their store and taking whatever they wanted without paying for it. Ruth also recalled the soldiers keeping close track of the amount of groceries that families used in order to make sure no one was taking more than what they were allowed. Ruth’s family was lucky to have sheep that provided them with food and milk.

Of great significance during her younger years was Ruth’s public profession of her faith in Jesus Christ at her church. This was a very monumental event in Ruth’s life as it was not only a recognition of her faith, but also an acknowledgment of His presence that she felt so strongly during the war.

In 1950, Ruth immigrated to the United States, joining some of her siblings who were already here. She settled within the Christian community in Patterson, New Jersey, and joined the local Christian Reformed Church.

Life was forever changed for Ruth when she met a fellow church member named Peter Roskam, a young man who had also emigrated from the Netherlands. After dating for a time, the couple was married on April 22, 1953, in Goshen, New York. Peter was a Dairy Farmer and they eventually settled in Middletown, New York, where they operated a dairy farm. Ruth was a genuine “helpmate” to Peter as she not only cared for him and the five children they were blessed with, but she helped with the farm work too including cleaning the milk house and performing chores in the barn.

Faith was always a cornerstone in Ruth’s life, and sending her children to a Christian school was an outpouring of the commitment she felt to both her Lord and her children. In the late seventies, their son Jim attended a Christian college, Calvin College, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After graduating from college, he remained in Grand Rapids. Ruth and Peter along with their family, felt God leading them to settle in western Michigan as well. They moved to a farm in Coopersville where they operated another dairy farm. Ruth continued to support her husband in every way, a true partner on the farm. It didn’t take long before their school-aged children became students at Christian schools, and their family joined the Coopersville Christian Reformed Church where they were involved.

During the late seventies, Ruth was officially diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, although she exhibited symptoms of the disease for a number of years. Since Ruth could no longer help on the farm, Pete sold it and they moved closer into the city, transferring to Westend Christian Reformed Church as well. There, Ruth and Pete attended the daughter church, of Westend, the Gold Avenue Chapel, for several years. When they later moved to Standale they became members of the Lamont Community Church.

As Ruth’s health continued to decline, she moved into the Christian Rest Home where she received the hands-on care she needed. Although this move was difficult for Ruth, Pete would often take her out for short visits a couple of times each week. As her health continued to decline and Ruth was not able to get out much, she told her children she drew strength from talking with God during the hours she could not sleep.

Ruth lived to love her family, and never shied away from doing whatever she could to provide them with the life she desired for them to have. Ruth took comfort in the famous words from the Heidelberg Catechism, “I am not my own, but belong body and soul in life and in death to my faithful savior, Jesus Christ.” After a forty year struggle with MS and Diabetes, the family is comforted by the knowledge that Ruth felt the closeness of God and just as one talks to a “best friend” she could talk to Him anytime especially when she could not sleep or when she was confined to bed rest because of failing health. Ruth will be dearly missed, but her family who finds comfort in knowing that she is walking along the Sea of Crystal.

Ruth Roskam died on Monday August 17, 2009. Ruth’s family includes her husband of 56 years, Peter Roskam Sr., her children: Jim (Bonnie) Roskam, Ruth (Dave) VanderMolen, Peter (Kathy) Roskam, Joyce (Ken) Jonkman, Hans Roskam; 16 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, her sisters Betty Schuurmans, Martje Walinga of the Netherlands, her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Grace (John) VanderMolen, Gary (Janet) Roskam, and many nieces and nephews. Funeral and committal services will be held Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at the Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Van’t Hof – Grand Rapids, MI, with Rev. Richard Terpstra Jr. of Lamont Community Church officiating. Interment will be in Rosedale Memorial Park. Mrs. Roskam reposes at the funeral home where relatives and friends may meet her family Wednesday from 2 -4 and 7-9 p.m. and again on Thursday from 12:30 p.m. until the time of the funeral service. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com, where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial contribution to the Christian Rest Home.