Joanne Van Baren

Joanne (De Vries) Van Baren, of Jenison, MI, formerly of South Holland, IL, passed away on Monday, December 4, 2017. To make a long story short… Joanne was born in 1936, in Visalia, CA, to Thomas and Agnes (Broersma) De Vries. She graduated from Valley Christian High School, and attended Calvin College where she met Gilbert F. Van Baren. In 1958 they married, and they raised their family in South Holland, IL. Joanne was trained as a teacher, but primarily worked in the home and helping Gil with the family business, Rosewood Landscaping. Joanne and Gil were long time members of the South Holland/Crete Protestant Reformed Church. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Gil, in 2012. She was also preceded in death by her sisters: Anna Baar, Mary Beth Bootsma, her in-laws: Arvin Kravig, Ted Baar, Calvin DeKruyf, Bertha and Anthony De Young, Alice and Art Zandstra, Willie and Sam Vroegh, Agnes Kuiper, Joanne Vroom, Frank Van Baren, and Jan Bootsma. She is survived by her children: Cheryl and Keith Van Drunen of Lansing, IL, Dale and Melissa Van Baren of Crete, IL, Sue and Doug Bleyenburg of Hudsonville, MI, and Amy and Mike Langeland of Zeeland, MI; her 12 grandchildren: Emily and Scott Zandstra, Elizabeth Van Drunen, Kate and Nick Holtrop, Eric Van Drunen and fiancé Hannah Van Maanen, Cole Bleyenburg, Kelli Bleyenburg, Erin Langeland, Caleb Bleyenburg, Nathan Langeland, Grant Van Baren, Natalie Langeland, and David Langeland, three great-grandchildren: Morgan, Addison, and Hunter Zandstra. Joanne is also survived by her siblings: Susie Kravig, Jen and Dave Van Duyn, Alice Ruth De Kruyf, Tom and Mary De Vries; in-laws: Gene Kuiper, Eileen Van Baren, Ken and Denise Bootsma, Gertrude and Don Vroom, Gise and Carolyn Van Baren, Sylvia and Melvin Hugen, Anna Mae and Case Nymeyer. Visitation will be 4:00-6:30 pm Eastern Time, Wednesday, at Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 E. 16th Street, Holland MI 49423. Visitation will also be 4:00-7:00 p.m. Central Time, Thursday, at Crete Protestant Reformed Church, 1777 East Richton Road, Crete, IL 60417. Services to honor the faith and life of Joanne Van Baren will be held at 11:00 am Central Time, Friday, Dec. 8, 2017, at Crete Protestant Reformed Church. Private Interment will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Lansing, IL. Memorial contributions to: PRCS/HCHS-10790 Calumet Ave., Dyer IN 46311, Heritage Christian School-6340 Autumn Dr., Hudsonville MI 49426, Covenant Christian High School-1401 Ferndale Ave., Grand Rapids MI 49534, or Elim Christian Services-13020 S. Central Ave., Palos Heights, IL 60463.

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Joanne Van Baren