Grace S. Gortsema, 97, went home to her Lord and Savior on Oct. 29, 2019.
Grace was born Feb. 4, 1922, in Grangeville, Idaho, to Gerben and Minnie (Sloot) Kingma. There she grew up on the family farm and attended school. On Sept. 14, 1941, she married the love of her life, Jake Gortsema.
She worked side by side with her husband on their farm in Grangeville. In 1956 the family moved to Sunnyside so that their children could attend Sunnyside Christian School. In 2012 Grace moved to Lynden. Her greatest joy was her husband and her family. They enjoyed many family activities together including camping and traveling. After their children were married, Jake and Grace traveled to see them wherever they were located.
Grace was active in: Sunnyside Christian Reformed Church with Calvin-ettes, a girls youth group; the Sunnyside Christian School Mothers Circle and the Christian School thrift shop in both Sunnyside and Lynden; groups making quilts for those in need; and with 4-H teaching young women to sew. She took pride in her years as a custodian for Sunnyside Valley Memorial Hospital. In Lynden she was a member of Second Christian Reformed Church where she was active in church life and Bible study groups. Until recently she was hosting a Bible study group in her room at Meadow Greens in Lynden.
Grace is survived by her children: Rose Marie (Tom) Roosendaal of Vancouver, Washington, Jean (Gary) Kamps of Lynden, Carol (Tony) Compaan of Jacksonville, Florida, Eileen (Jesse) Timmermans of Lynden, and Marci (Steve) Vander Griend of Reedley, California; 15 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren and 14 great-great-grandchildren; brother George (Teddy) Kingma of Bozeman, Montana; and sisters-in-law Alice Kingma, Ann Bos, Rosella DeHaas and Anna Marie Gortsema of Grangeville.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jake; grandson Zachary Vander Griend; great-granddaughter Robyn Roosendaal; brother Herman (Alice) Kingma; sister Winnie (Clarence) Danhof; and her parents.
A memorial service was held Monday, Nov. 4, in Meadow Greens, 301 Homestead Blvd., Lynden. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, a private family graveside service was held in Lower Valley Memorial Gardens cemetery of Sunnyside, followed at 2 p.m. by a memorial service in the Sunnyside Christian Reformed Church, 700 N. 16th St.
Those wishing to honor Grace’s memory may contribute to the van maintenance fund at Second Christian Reformed Church of Lynden. Those wishing to sign Grace’s online memorial book may do so at www.funeralhomesmith.com.
Smith Funeral Home of Sunnyside was in care of arrangements.
