Sena Hoogewind

Sena Hoogewind was a woman ahead of her time. She graduated from high school, was not afraid to travel across the country by herself, and worked outside the home. A spirited and loving mother, who always gave selflessly to enrich the lives of those around her, Sena was devoted to both family and faith.

In the year 1907, the Netherlands was enjoying an era of economic expansion. With rumors of unrest in other parts of Europe, however, on October 18, 1907, the Laws of War : Rights and Duties of Neutral Powers in Naval War (Hague XIII) were drawn up in the Hague, the seat of the country's government. For Johannes and Geertruida (van Lente) Thomas, their minds were on other things. They lived in Zwolle, The Netherlands, a community in the northern part of the country. Johannes worked as a baker while Geertruida cared for their three children - Johannes, Dirk, and Johanna. On February 18, 1907, Geertruida gave birth to the couple's fourth child, a daughter they named Gesiena Martina, affectionately called Sena.

When Sena was two years old, Johannes, Geertruida, and the four children immigrated to the United States in search of a better life. Sena's father found work in a factory in Zeeland, Michigan, but when an opportunity arose to obtain a job in a bakery in Holland, the family moved. A few years later the family moved again to Grand Rapids. Sena attended high school in Grand Rapids and graduated from Grand Rapids Christian High School - a rare accomplishment for young women of that time.

After graduating from high school, Sena began working for a local bank. Her brother Johannes, meanwhile, worked in a furniture factory and was friends with a young man named Anton "Tony" Hoogewind. One day Tony asked Joe if he knew of any nice ladies. Joe said "yes" and introduced his friend to his sister, Sena. Sena and Tony became friends, and when their friendship turned to love, they were married on September 25, 1934.

Family was always important to Sena and she was truly a kind and compassionate woman. After her father passed away, Sena began taking care of her mother and would continue to live with her and care for her until her death in 1945.

In 1934, the country was in the midst of the depression and jobs were scarce. Sena had to quit her job at the bank when she got married - only one of the couple could work. With Tony's steady job at the furniture factory, the newlyweds were eventually able to buy a home that Tony's father had built. Their new home was located on Myrtle St., and would remain their home for the rest of their lives.

In 1936, Sena took on a new role - that of mother. Twin boys, James and Thomas, were born in 1936, but tragedy soon followed. One of the babies was stillborn and the other lived only a short time. Although other children would follow, this difficult time would stay in Sena's memory throughout her life.

Soon the family was blessed with two girls - Joan, and a few years later, Mary Jane. With a full family to take care of, Sena's priorities were set - family came first. Spending time with her daughters was the most important activity of each day, and normal household duties often took second place. Her favorite pastime was reading to her daughters, something they did all the time. Sena could cook, but perhaps with a talent inherited from her father, she would rather bake. One of her specialties was a Dutch pastry called banket, fluffy pastry dough rolled into a tube-shape and filled with almond paste.

Vacations were always family trips, usually to various locations throughout Michigan. A favorite site was Big Star Lake, near Baldwin. After the girls had grown, Sena and Tony found they enjoyed staying home together, Sena doing handiwork, or reading one of the books in her large collection. Tony was also an avid reader and the two spent many evenings enjoying their books.

When the girls were older, Sena went back to work. Tony had started his own business and Sena wanted to do her share. She found a position with the Grand Rapids Municipal Employees Credit Union. When she was in her 40's, Tony taught her how to drive but because of the limited parking downtown, she took the bus to work. After retiring, she purchased a car for herself because she wanted her independence.

The cornerstone to Sena's life was her church and her faith. She read her Bible every day and also took time to do Bible study. When the girls were young, lunchtime had always included a Bible story. When they were older, the reading of Psalms was included. Both she and Tony were faithful members of the West Leonard Christian Reformed Church and considered it their second family. Although Sena bowled with a group for several years, their social life centered on their church friends. When Tony was clerk of the consistory and the church bulletin editor, Sena, with her secretarial skills, would type the bulletin with Tony dictating and editing, so it would be ready for the printer. She would also type Tony's Sunday school lessons. She was an active participant in the ladies society, the women's missionary union, and through the years, many other groups and committees. It has been said that if something was important to Sena, she was well organized. If it wasn't important, well... Needless to say, her family and her church were both very important to Sena Hoogewind.

With all her busy activities, Sena still found time to relax. Her talents for handiwork included knitting, tatting and sewing. With hands that were never idle, Sena made beautiful quilts, afghans, clothes for her children and grandchildren, and tatted handkerchiefs. With a talent perfected over many years, Sena seldom looked at what she was doing - her hands just seemed to know what to do. Each item was a labor of love.

She also enjoyed working outside in her garden. For a number of years, her garden yielded delicious tomatoes and peppers. Sena also liked flowers, especially African violets, the roses in her back yard, and her Christmas cacti.

Sena loved spending time with her family, and she and Tony often traveled to New York and California to visit their children and grandchildren. Sena adored her grandchildren and had taught them to play chess. When Grandma was around, chess was the name of the game. With her grandchildren holding such a special place in her heart, Sena made it a point to be there for each baptism.

In 1995, Sena's life took a dramatic change when her beloved Tony passed away while they were visiting a daughter in California. Tony's death devastated Sena and she remarked that she would not be happy until she and Tony were together again. Sena and Tony have been reunited in Heaven, and together, watch over their cherished family, a family blessed by the life of Sena Hoogewind.

Sena M. Hoogewind, passed into glory on Friday, July 22, 2005 at the age of 98. Preceding her in death were her husband, Anton; twin sons, James and Thomas; and a grandson, Kenneth VanSpronsen. Surviving are her two daughters, Joan (Robert) VanSpronsen, and Mary Jane Hoogewind; grandchildren David (Kathy) VanSpronsen, Sheri (Robert) Leppink, Tom (Shelly) VanSpronsen, Stephen (Anne) Decker, John Decker, Michelle (Mike) De Mars and Amy Decker; great grandchildren James, Kimberly, Kelly and Mark VanSpronsen, Cory, Brooke and Kate Decker and Jameson De Mars. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 28 at 2 PM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Van't Hof Chapel, 851 Leonard NW where relatives and friends are invited to meet with her family on Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-8 PM. Please visit Sena's personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory, sign the guest book or make a memorial contribution. For those who wish, memorial contributions to West Side Christian School are appreciated.