Barbara VanArendonk

VAN ARENDONK, Barbara
Of Portage MI Barbara F. VanArendonk died at Leila and Cyrus Poppen Hospice Residence, Mt. Garfield Road, Fruitport Township, Michigan on March 25, 2009. Barbara was born in Wessington, South Dakota, the daughter of John and Helen Vincent Johnson, on October 27, 1929. In 1936 she moved with her family to Woodstock, Illinois, where her father managed a dairy farm. They relocated to Morris, Illinois, in 1946 when they acquired their own farm. She received a diploma from Wesley Memorial School of Nursing, Chicago, in 1951 and a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Northwestern University in 1954. While at Northwestern she met her future husband, Dr. Gerald VanArendonk, a medical student. They married on June 12, 1954 in Morris, Illinois. Barbara practiced nursing from 1954-1955 at the Veterans Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, and at Borgess Hospital, Kalamazoo, from 1969 to 1972. After obtaining a Master's degree in Counseling from Western Michigan University, Barbara served on the faculty at Nazareth College where she taught medical-surgical nursing for twelve years. From 1985 to 1991, she continued as an instructor of nursing at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. Beginning in the mid-1980s until 2007, she worked as a home healthcare nurse, most recently with Gentiva and United Nursing, where she developed many friendships and helped many people. Barbara was a woman of deep faith and devotion. An active member of Second Reformed Church Kalamazoo for nearly five decades, she contributed freely of her time to innumerable projects, programs, and positions. She particularly enjoyed her support of the Parish Nurse program and her role as an Elder. In recent years she drew much support from her "small group" as well as many others within the congregation at Second. Her warm and loving spirit will be fondly remembered by all who knew and loved her. Her greatest joy was her family, her many friends, and the various and sundry dogs who over the years benefited greatly from her indulgent care. Barbara is survived by her siblings: Arta Sandstrom of Greenbank, WA, Steven Johnson Maxine of Bellevue, WA, Burton Johnson Jackie of Mercer Island, WA, Herbert Johnson Nita of Cincinnati, OH, sister-in-law Muriel Johnson of Spring Harbor, MI; her sons, Mark VanArendonk Susan of Morristown, NJ, John VanArendonk Lori of Bigfork, MT, Craig VanArendonk Jane of Grand Haven, MI and Scott VanArendonk Sherri of New Era, MI, and 10 grandchildren, Kathryn VanArendonk of Stanford, CA, Laura VanArendonk Morristown, NJ, Rachel Drew Harris of Tacoma, WA, Ben and Michael VanArendonk Bigfork, MT Sarah and Nathan VanArendonk Grand Haven, MI and Joseph, Grace, and David VanArendonk New Era, MI. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald VanArendonk, who passed away in 2002, her brother Roger John Johnson, who died in 2006, and her sister, Florence Ewing, who died in 2008. The family will receive friends on Friday from 2-4 and 6-8pm at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Westside Chapel, 3926 South 9th Street. A private family committal will be held at Mt. Ever-Rest Mausoleum. A Memorial Service will be held 11:00 AM Saturday at Langeland's Westside Chapel with Rev. Donald DeYoung officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Barbara's memory may be directed to the Second Reformed Church Memorial Fund. www.langelands.com