Lois A. Day

Funeral Service Live Stream Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj5aKXqq8yfhgbDFOVWo4Ug/live Lois Ann Day (Ophoff), 76, beloved child of God, entered into eternity on December 5 after a three-year fight with pancreatic cancer. Lois was an avid knitter, reader, traveler, gardener and loved music—especially playing her cello. Three years ago, Lois found these words from Psalm 61:2 particularly comforting, and they have guided her in her cancer journey ever since: “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Lois was preceded in death by her brother, Jerry Ophoff, and her parents, Fred and Luwiena Ophoff. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Dan; daughter, Crista (Joe) Evenhouse (Adrian, Christian, Nathan); son, Ryan, of Fort Lauderdale, FL; daughter, Kara (Justin) Amash (Alexander, Anwen, Evelyn); in-laws, Noreen Ophoff, Tom and Debra Day, Jim and Joanne Day; cousins, Barb and Oliver Hale, John and Terri Haveman, Mark and Audra Haveman, and newly-found cousins, Ruth Barg, Steve (Cecilia) Retinger, Frank Retinger, and Rick (Mimi) Doherty. Visitation is scheduled for 4:00pm-7:00pm Sunday, December 8, at Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 E 16th St., Holland. The service celebrating Lois' life will be held at 2:15 p.m. Monday, December 9 at Fourteenth Street Christian Reformed Church, 14 W 14th St., Holland. Rev. Benj Petroelje will officiate. A private family interment service will be held on Wednesday, December 11 at Greenwood Cemetery in Grand Rapids. Memorial contributions may be made to West Side Christian School, Grand Rapids Christian Schools, Calvin University, and Hospice of Holland. LOIS' STORY... Lois’ story, like so many others, is a story of God’s providential care and love. The story must have started with a very difficult conversation sixteen-year-old JoAnne Barkley must have had with her parents, Dr. Joseph and Mrs. Helen Barkley from Grosse Pointe, MI. during the early summer months of 1947. JoAnne was pregnant, the father was Bill Gleason, JoAnne’s boating instructor at the local yacht club. Bill was thirty years old at the time. JoAnne was an only child, and at that time, what does one do when a young teenager is pregnant and is from a fairly affluent family? The answer was to move JoAnne and Helen to the Morton House in downtown Grand Rapids likely in late summer/early fall. JoAnne could not attend high school at that time, and she was due in December. JoAnne gave birth to a baby girl at Butterworth Hospital on December 30, 1947. JoAnne named the baby, Jane. Adoption must have been determined well before the birth, because within a week of birth, baby Jane became Lois Ann Ophoff, newly adopted daughter of Fred and Luwiena. The Ophoff’s were in their late 30’s when they received Lois. They were thrilled. The Ophoffs later adopted a little boy, unrelated to Lois, named Jerry. The above information comes from research done through the Kent County Clerk’s office and Ancestry.com. Lois decided to do a search for birth parents in 2017 as she was approaching her 70th birthday, thinking that if a parent were alive yet, it was the time to try to reach out. It was her desire to thank her biological parents for releasing her for adoption. It was too late—she discovered that both biological parents had passed away about thirty years prior. A wonderful part of this inquiry into her biological past was the discovery of several cousins from her father’s side of the family. Lois discovered and met Ruth Barg, Steve and Frank Retinger and Rick Doherty. Interactions with these cousins greatly enhanced her life. Lois grew up on the northwest side of Grand Rapids, attended Alpine Ave. Christian Reformed Church, went to West Side Christian School K-9, Grand Rapids Christian High School (’66) and Calvin College (’70). Upon graduation from Calvin, Lois taught third grade at West Side Christian from September until spring break, 1971. It was at Calvin that she and Dan met, dated and later got married between her junior and senior years of college. While growing up and throughout her life, Lois loved music. At a young age, she took piano lessons. After marriage and children, she took up the organ (played in Highland Hills CRC and Westend CRC) and the cello. She worked hard at each of those instruments, doing her very best to learn all she could. While growing up, she was very close to her cousins, the Haveman family. Barb is like a sister to Lois throughout her life. The Havemans and Ophoffs traveled together extensively throughout the country and also at a rented cottage on Silver Lake. Lois and Dan welcomed three children between 1971 and 1979. Crista (Evenhouse), Ryan, and Kara (Amash). These three were her pride and joy. She was a wonderful mother, mentor and friend. In addition to music, Lois enjoyed knitting, traveling, gardening, reading and camping. She was a member of two book clubs. She took knitting seriously, often learning new stitches. She and stepmother, Lois (now 98 years old and doing well), were always comparing notes and patterns for a variety of projects for other people. This past year she knitted 48 hats for donation at church and completed two sweaters for grandnieces. Travel took Lois to Central America, South America, Europe and Israel over the years. Curiosity and a life-long learner were two characteristics of Lois. As recently as September of this year, Dan and Lois toured Iceland. She completed hikes and took in the spectacularly beautiful scenery. Camping, from the first year of marriage in a tent to 55 years later in a travel trailer, Lois enjoyed being outdoors. Camping with the grandchildren was special. Each year for several years, the grandchildren accompanied Dan and Lois at Grand Haven State Park, or Charles Mears State Park in Pentwater. Precious memories resulted. Grandchildren are a major source of joy for both Lois and Dan—six grandchildren were born between 2004 and 2010—Alexander, Anwen and Evelyn Amash, Adrian, Christian and Nathan Evenhouse. Each one is a unique child of God and a gift for their grandparents. Lois was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on Monday, October 18, 2021. During the 37 months of living with that diagnosis Lois cried once. It was within a couple days of the initial news—she said, “I won’t see my grandchildren grow up”. She was heart-broken. Those three-plus years were also filled with travel, gardening, reading and visiting with family and friends. Both Dan and Lois repeatedly said to each other that they were very blessed. God’s providential care and love prevailed from before birth until and after her death.

Tributes

Lois A. Day

December 30, 1947 - December 5, 2024