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Agnes L. Beelen, age 90, of Holland, passed away Friday, February 16, 2024 at Resthaven Care Center in Holland. Agnes (Aggie) always had a positive attitude and displayed contentment in her life. She loved to cook, bake and exuded hospitality and encouragement; always making the ordinary, extraordinary. Agnes loved easily and lived out Psalm 118:24, This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it, in both the good times and in the difficult. Aggie was an active member of Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church for many years. Aggie was preceded in death by her husbands, Harold Vander Ploeg, Donald Michmerhuizen, and Kenneth Beelen; son, Steven Vander Ploeg; step-daughter, Beth Bouws; step-son-in-law, Charles Walker; siblings, Thelma Deters, Shelby Beagle, Robert Beagle, and David Beagle. Aggie is survived by her: Children Michael (Barbara) Vander Ploeg Brenda (Scott) De Jonge Step-Children Robert (Barbara) Michmerhuizen Donna (Mike) Dorn Diane (Butch) Lievense Martha (Bruce) Frens John Bouws Karen Walker Sandy (Steve) Hirdes Kathy Beelen Joan (Randy) Beelen-Hirdes Ken, Jr. (Nancy) Beelen Michael Beelen Gary (Teresa) Beelen Tim (Tonia) Beelen Many Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren A memorial service is planned for 11:00am Monday, February 19 at Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 E 16th St., Holland. Rev. George DeJong will officiate. Visitation is scheduled for 1:00-4:00pm Sunday also at the funeral home. Burial will be in Pilgrim Home Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Compassionate Heart Ministries. ____________________________________________________ Mom A glimpse into Agnes (Aggie) Beagle, VanderPloeg, Michmerhuzien, Beelen’s life. Mom was a fighter since birth, born 2 months early in her grandparents home in Mc Bain, Michigan. She was blue in color and had no finger nails or toe nails. She was given black coffee to stimulate her heart and keep her alive. She has been a coffee lover ever since – and not decaffeinated, by the way! Aggie was someone who didn’t like to be alone. She was the oldest in her family of 5 children, specifically the oldest daughter of three girls. Because of this she was given a bedroom to herself, while Thelma and Shelby had to share a bedroom…and a bed together. Aggie would make up stories and soon would put herself in the middle of Thelma and Shelby’s bed! They would giggle and struggle for the covers, all while Aggie was calmed by their presence. Aggie learned at a young age, when others made fun of her, if she decided to laugh along with them, she was okay. For instance, she developed bell’s palsy in 8th grade. It paralyzed the left side of her face, so when she prayed that eye did not shut. The other kids noticed and she choose to see the humor in this. Aggie met her first love, Harold (Herk) VanderPloeg in high school. They dated for 4 years, until Herk popped The Question at Kollen’s Park in Holland. Aggie was thrilled to pieces! There was laughter and humor in our household. In the hard and in the difficult, God gave us the blessing to be able to see the funny side of things. It was good medicine as the Bible states – good for the soul. It wasn’t that we ignored the tough stuff, we by our mom’s example learned to make the best of each situation. While Herk was a salesman, which took him out of town for usually a week or more at a time. Mom was always home, holding down the fort and loving each of us well. She emitted a quiet strength. We didn’t have a lot of money, yet we didn’t know that. Mom always drove an old “tin lizzy” car, as she called it, but it got us where we needed to be. Mom knew how to make an outfit from Meijer look like one from DuMez. (a store down town Holland). She was creative in making what we had…beautifully enough. Raising their oldest son, Steve, who was mentally disabled was not a chore, but a privilege, sharing with us that God gave us Steve for a reason. It made all of us who we are. It was not easy by any means, but we don’t remember much complaint or any self-pity. Mom was determined to have Steve do all he could do for himself, with encouragement! This took a lot of extra time! Can we say the word patience…it took a lot of patience and perseverance! Mom did get us all on board with helping too, as we would walk by the bathroom door in the morning routine, we would remind Steve to brush the other side of his teeth, or shave the other side of his face. There were several physical difficulties that Steve had to endure as well. But only with the love of a mom, like Aggie did this happen in our home. Our home was probably not ordinary, but yet we were! Steve’s case worker and social worker would ask Aggie, “How are Mike and Brenda able to handle all this in their lives with Steve in the home?” They suggested Steve go somewhere. We didn’t realize the hardships because mom didn’t dwell on the hardships. She persevered through them and Steve gave Aggie an opportunity to share her faith and that it was God who helps us through each day. After our dad passed away, mom met Don Michmerhuizen. They were married for 8 years. Mom got to know and love his children and grandchildren, as we all became family. Don loved country music and all of a sudden there was a radio in every room of the house. Don suffered through the effects of radiation from cancer and mom faithfully was by his side. Don called mom his angel, because he said, she kept him going! After Don passed away, it wasn’t our mom’s goal to marry again, but we do remember her telling us that she would pray to God and if this was something He wanted for her, she would be open to it. Mom had her hip replaced and was recuperating at Scott and Brenda’s home in Zeeland. Meanwhile Ken Beelen was asking about her at the coffee shop, because he was interested in her. He rode by her home daily until one day she was back there. Mom would have to elevate her leg every couple of hours for continued healing. Ken would be over for a visit and mom would tell him I have to go and lay down and put my leg up. You can stay out here in the family room if you’d like, but you can’t come into my bedroom with me. Ken stayed. And along with Ken came more kids and many more grandkids and great grandkids. All of them a blessing from God to Mom. For our kids (her grandkids) when they were growing up she would make a special birthday cake of their choosing. For many the favorite was the strawberry cake. Sometime she would have them over to help make it and let them put as many sprinkles as they wanted – Ashley’s always tended to have a LOT of sprinkles. Mom had special sleepovers for her grandkids! This always came with games and crafts like making Rock Houses, creating and eating “Painted Toast” for breakfast and a lot of giggles. Before bedtime, all would gather on the couch and say their prayers together. There was back to school shopping with the grandkids, and lunch a Russ’s…with grandpa Beelen too. Whenever you walked into Mom’s home, there was always it seemed a homemade goodie in a tin sitting on the counter. Ken would share some of his favorite Butterscotch cookies, because mom had them in plenty. She also made pans of Rocky Road Bars, Special K bars, almond tarts, desserts and more! Mom made these for many occasions, including the grandkids graduation parties. Mom was a beautiful host – she had the gift of hospitality. Anyone who would have the honor of sitting at her table was blessed! It was a table set for royalty…..for you! She always had a placemat, a full table setting, a special folded cloth napkin, and a beautiful centerpiece, she had created. ALL the things! It wasn’t that mom’s table was huge or the dining area large. It was modest. It wasn’t a fancy polished table and chairs, but always a seat available. A seat for you, where you were valued and served. Mom was a talented interior decorator. No formal training needed…it was natural. She would tell the story of her driving her old “Tin Lizzy” (car) up to someone’s manicured driveway and lovely home. Mom would take her tools in, hammer, nails, old ladder and off she’d be helping people know the right height and placement of pictures for their wall. She may also bring along a floral arrangement that she created for them. She knew just how to put all of those flowers together to look perfect. As kids, we remember the preparation of those arrangements, waiting for hours it seemed in Fruit Basket Flowerland, while she choose just the right stems! Then it was spread over the dining room table, until it was just right! Mom was a Hair Stylist! She began to cut her own mother’s hair around the age of 10. Soon she added in her family and later many of the neighborhood ladies or friends of church. Mom had a friend who was a “professional” hair stylist who would purchase a good scissors for mom and show her the latest trend to follow. Two days and evenings a week, while we were growing up, mom had ladies in the house getting a perm, a set, a color or a cut. Mike and I can still smell Dippity Doo if we close our eyes! Mom was a lover of Birds! She knew all the birds that came to her feeder and what they liked. She knew the wrens would begin their nest on May 1, 2 or 3 and the orioles liked grape jelly in an orange! Michael Beelen helped the most keeping the feeders filled. One of her favorite verses in the Bible talks about the birds. God says, If I care for the birds of the air, won’t I more surely care for you, Aggie? Mom knew this promise, maybe that’s why she loved the birds so much. The church isn’t a building, but the people….. and the people of Holland Heights CRC have been a phenomenal support of our mom throughout her life. It came through teaching, friendships, serving, being served – people provided rides to and from many hospital visits, food, a new roof put on our Calvin home when dad was sick and it needed attention. When mom married Ken, it was a prerequisite that they would attend Holland Heights church. When mom’s hip replacement failed several years ago. There was nothing they could do for her then, no surgery. They did try some therapy, but she couldn’t do any of it. She became wheelchair bound. According to the doctor, and statistics, we all were around her, thinking…this is probably the end of her life. However, she began to perk up and adjusted to her new life in a wheelchair. This was not an easy adjustment, adding more discomfort and pain. But she persevered. She would complain sometime of a boring day. That would be a rare day, when she didn’t have a visitor stop by. Aggie continued to “entertain” in her little room at Appledorn and friends and family kept coming to play a game of Canasta or Five Crowns, bring some chocolate (one of her main food groups!) or just talk. She was always engaged in other people’s lives, interested and asking about what was going on in their world instead of dwelling on her own. Then again we were in the hospital, January 14, 2024– this time with a broken femur, on top of the former hip failure! When the second ER Dr came in – Mike and Brenda looked at each other and said – I think he just told us this is the beginning of the end! The word challenging came up 6 times – we counted. The last 4 1/2 weeks of Aggie’s life were indeed a challenge, which included a lot of suffering and added pain. Even though Mom would cry out in pain, she didn’t complain. We leaned into Psalm 37:7, Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act. God took Aggie home on Friday morning to a room in heaven, specifically prepared for her. We are grateful she is healed and face to face with Jesus. We will all miss this beautiful lady. Maybe we can all live a bit more like her? Seeing the good in every person and letting them know they matter, they are valued and they are loved by God. Well done good and faithful servant!

Tributes

Agnes Vander Ploeg Michmerhuizen Beelen

June 23, 1933 - February 16, 2024