Violet VanderWoude
Violet Elizabeth VanderWoude passed away on Saturday May 28 at Lynden Christian Health Care Center where she has been living for the last year-and-a-half.
Violet was born on October 21, 1925 in Riverside, California to parents Gerhardes George and Alma (Meenk) Neevel. She had two older brothers, Ken and Les.
George and Alma had a farm by the Nooksack River near Ferndale. They moved to California in 1920 where the three children were born. The family returned to Washington in 1926 and resumed farming.
Violet, often called Vi, loved to ride horses and often rode her horse, Dolly, to the one room school house on Paradise school.
On April 24, 1946 she married John VanderWoude. John and Vi took over running the dairy farm. Vi also raised chickens for eggs which she sold to local restaurants.
Vi and John had four children, Glen, Dale, Joan, and Paul. In 1983, when John and Vi moved to Lynden, Glen and Paul took over running the farm.
Vi was a long time member of the reformed church. She also worked at the Ladies Aid and loved to go swimming.
Violet is survived by her four children: Glen VanderWoude, Dale and Victoria VanderWoude, Joan and Ed Osgood, and Paul and Connie VanderWoude; her 12 grandchildren Vicki Oslund, Jason VanderWoude, Kevin Osgood, Katie Sims, Mike VanderWoude, David VanderWoude, Derick VanderWoude, Daniel VanderWoude, Lynn VanderWoude, and Bruce VanderWoude; and her 12 great-grandchildren.
Although Vi had many pets, Sammy the dog was her favorite.
Vi was proceeded in death by her husband John VanderWoude, her parents, brothers Ken and Les, grandchildren Justin VanderWoude and Tina VanderWoude, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
Visitations will be from 5-8 p.m. June 6 at Gillies Funeral Home in Lynden. The private family graveside service will be at Monumenta Cemetery at noon, followed by an 1 p.m. memorial service at Faith Reformed church in Lynden.
Violet’s favorite Bible verse is Psalms 23.
Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services.
