Virginia Vander Werf

Virginia Vander Werf was a compassionate and caring wife, mother, and grandmother. She selflessly gave much of her time and resources to the family she so loved. Her quiet presence, practical wisdom, and humble spirit will be deeply missed by her many special friends and loved ones.

1934 saw the turning point in the Great Depression in America, with unemployment decreasing. Born during one of the most severe droughts in our nation’s history, Geroge and Rena (Beerthuis) Meyners were elated with joy to welcome home their newborn daughter, Virginia, on August 8th in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Joining her older sister, Joyce, and later followed by her younger sister, Arlene, her birth brought much happiness into their family home.

With the exception of her charming good looks landing her second place in a beauty contest at nine months old, Virginia lived a typical childhood. Her family lived on the north end of town on Barnett Street before they settled on Cedar Street. During her growing years, she was mostly quiet and shy and loved to ride her bike around the neighborhood, babysit, and help around the family home. As a student, she enjoyed playing her trumpet at Creston Christian School. One of her favorite things to do was wash and wax the family car until the whitewalls sparkled, leading her dad to teach her how to drive by the age of fourteen! For relaxation, she would join her dad on local fishing trips. Her childhood was filled with many happy memories.

While watching a neighborhood house fire, she met the man who would change the course of her life forever, Henry Vander Werf. After the fire was settled, he walked her home and made sure they had a first date planned before he left. After four years of dating, they married on March 24, 1955 at her home church, Coldbrook Christian Reformed. They honeymooned in beautiful Niagara Falls. Together, they raised seven wonderful children, who were her pride and joy.

As a mother and wife, Virginia dedicated her life to managing the family home. She was known to be detail oriented and meticulous; everything had a place and she held high standards for organization and cleanliness. Even the garage was routinely cleaned and kept up to look like it was another part of the inside of their home! For many years, they lived on Carlton NE before moving to their longtime home on Olderidge NE. Being a homemaker was her calling. Virginia planned out daily meals, always paying attention to their budget. On Saturdays, she would invite the kids to help her chop vegetables for the traditional Sunday pot roast. After the food was prepped, she also made sure to line up the kids’ shoes for Sunday church and made sure the car was clean. Her organization skills came in handy during the back-to-school season. She would go through all of the clothing and hand down some clothing before making her list of exactly what was needed to buy brand new. Once the laundry was done, she ironed literally everything! Although she was busy, she always looked her best. Virginia took great pride in dressing well and looking proper. Raising seven children made for a busy life, yet she knew how to redirect their energy and her great intuition kept them from any mischief!

Virginia and Henry created beautiful family memories. They raised their children with a strong foundation of faith at Highland Hills Baptist Church. Each summer, they enjoyed renting cottages for annual family trips together. Much of these trips included fishing together and playing countless games of softball as a family. When the kids were young, they enjoyed spontaneous trips to McDonald’s and eating in the car. They tried their hand at camping, but Virginia put a stop to it when she realized it was more work and less fun with such a large group. They would head south with a destination of Florida for another annual trip, but rarely made it past Kentucky since they only drove so far each day. When the kids were older they enjoyed trips to Yellowstone, Niagara Falls, and Hawaii. She and Henry also traveled to Israel, Australia, and the Netherlands. All in all, they enjoyed their time together as a family making many lasting memories.

When they were blessed with grandchildren, they continued much of their same energy they had when they were raising their own children. She was known to get down on the floor to play with them, give them their first baths, and cuddle them endlessly! Nothing brought her greater joy than holding her grandchildren and loving them unconditionally. Virginia was always up for fun! She loved attending many of their special events, taking them to play mini golf, and celebrating their birthdays with a special one-on-one trip to their favorite places in town! As time moved on, she made every effort to call her loved ones on their birthday and wish them well. Virginia enjoyed hearing about their many accomplishments and celebrating their successes over the years. Being a grandmother was one of her greatest blessings.

She and Henry lived a simple life together. They enjoyed being active in their church, going out to eat, and sharing a love of the sunshine in Florida. During the 1990s they began visiting Florida annually. They started out in Orlando before discovering their future home in Vero Beach. Henry and Virginia were special people. They both had a natural sense of humor which glued them together for a remarkable seventy years! No greater testimony of their love was the way in which she cared for Henry during his last year. Virginia never left his side and supported him until the end. After Henry passed, she adapted and learned new things to remain independent. Led by her faith, she was never one to complain and took all things in stride. No matter how much pain she experienced, she never let on and accepted the outcome with grace. As her own health declined, the family was blessed that she was able to keep her sharp wisdom until the end. Virginia leaves behind a rich legacy of living her life to the fullest. May her family lean on the many beautiful memories she leaves behind, and may they find comfort in knowing they were loved beyond measure.

Virginia Vander Werf, age 92 of Vero Beach, Florida and formerly of Grand Rapids, Michigan, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday, September 13, 2026. She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry, in 2016; son-in-law, Jeff Snyder; granddaughter, Abigail Vander Werf; great-grandson, Henry Vander Werf; and sister, Joyce (Norm) Haan.

Virginia is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law Marlene & Robert Lindsey, Charlene & Chuck Gritter, Darlene & Scott Alexander; sons and daughters-in-law Dale & Cindi; David & Dawn, Daniel & Barbara, Duane; many grandchildren and great grandchildren; sister, Arlene (Gary) Popma; brother-in-law, sisters-in-law and many nieces and nephews.

The service to remember and celebrate Virginia’s life will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at 12 Noon at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Van Strien Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield Ave NE where friends are invited to visit with her family beginning at 10 AM. To share a memory or photo, or sign her guestbook, visit www.heritagelifestory.com.