Johanna Vander Molen

VANDER MOLEN, Johanna Kalamazoo Johanna Pauline Van Elk Vander Molen, of Kalamazoo, went home to her heavenly father and joined her family on March 30, 2007, having passed away from natural causes. Just six weeks ago, she was living in her own condo, driving, and swimming two to three times a week. She was 96 years old on March 11. Once, when asked how she lived to be so old and healthy, she said she always followed her doctor?s advice: she ate well and exercised regularly to keep her diabetes and weight under control. She was born in Kalamazoo in 1911, the daughter of John Henry and Cornelia De Jong Van Elk. She was preceded in death by her parents, her twin brother, James Nell, and sisters Dorothy Frank Spitters, and Cornelia Earl McDowel. In 1957, at the age of 46, she married Kobe Vander Molen, a widower with children ages 5, 10, 15 and 20. She was their mother/stepmother for almost 50 years. Kobe?s first wife was her best friend. The children are Marvin Carol Vander Molen, John Barbara Vander Molen, Carol Yeomans deceased 1972, and Shirley John Breedveld. There are nine grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren. Kobe passed away in 1999. After her marriage to Kobe, she retired from her job in the paper industry and became a housewife and took good care of the family. She was very active at Fourth Reformed Church where she was a member of the Rebecca Circle and sang in the choir for over 50 years. Her gift was faithfulness in all that she did, in her quiet and unassuming way. She loved her family, supported missions, sent birthday cards, wrote to friends and family in the Netherlands, shared goodies from her kitchen, and enjoyed time spent with her Van Elk nieces and nephews. The visitation for Johanna will be held on Monday from 2-4 and 6-8 PM at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Westside Chapel, 3926 S. 9th St. Her funeral will be held on Tuesday at 11:00 AM at the Fourth Reformed Church, 6339 Atlantic Dr. with her pastor, Rev. Jim Vander Roest officiating. Interment will take place in East Cooper Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be given to Fourth Reformed Church Memorial Fund.