Mary Ellen Hamstra, of Lynden, met her Lord and Savior on Monday, Oct. 21, 2019. She lived a life of strong faith, had a gentle spirit and was deeply devoted to her family.
Mary Ellen was born on April 26, 1939, in Yakima, Washington, to parents Virgil and Adrie (Vander Houwen) Cobb. When Mary Ellen was just 5 years old, the family moved to Lynden in order to provide a Christian education for the children.
Mary Ellen met Ken Hamstra when they were children playing on the porch together. They were married on Oct. 23, 1959, in Lynden. On Oct. 23, 2019, Mary Ellen and Ken would have celebrated 60 years of marriage.
Mary Ellen worked in the banking industry until late 1960 when she left to stay home and raise her family. She was devoted to her husband and her children and enjoyed family road trips. Her two favorite places were the ocean, capturing the beauty and serenity of the waves, and to Yakima to pick fruit. She was passionate about the beauty of the first snowfall each year.
She loved singing and listening to music, baking and crocheting afghans for her children and grandchildren. Mary Ellen was very loving, selfless and patient. In her later years she struggled with pain and yet always had a good spirit about her.
Mary Ellen was preceded in death by her parents, Virgil and Adrie Cobb, and brother Robert Cobb.
She is will be greatly missed by her husband, Kenneth; children David (Jacquie Scott) Hamstra, Kaylene Schiller, Susan (David) Burri and Michael Hamstra; grandchildren Eric Schiller, Alex (Allison) Schiller and Addison Schiller; and stepgrandchildren Sarah Bouchereau, Brendan Scott, Alexander Scott and Michelle Scott. She is also survived by brother John (Hattie) Cobb, sister Lena Marie (Mick) VanderGriend, and sisters-in-law Henrietta Cobb and Gayle (Robert) DeGroot.
Graveside committal was Saturday, Oct. 26, at Monumenta Cemetery, followed by a memorial service in Second Christian Reformed Church of Lynden.
Memorials are suggested to the Lynden Christian High School Music Department, 417 Lyncs Dr., Lynden, WA 98264.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services.
