Helen Jane VanWoerkom's Obituary
Helen Jane VanWoerkom has passed on to heaven two weeks after her 100th birthday, which fell on Easter of this year. A lifelong resident of Grand Haven, Helen was born in 1921 the daughter of William and Celia VanWoerkom and she outlived her siblings John, Gerald, Edith and Robert. She attended and graduated from Grand Haven High School. Her working career was spent as general office and payroll clerk at Grand Haven Stamped Products and JSJ Corporation from which she eventually retired.
While Helen never married, however when her sister died of cancer, she spent much time helping to raise and care for Edith’s two sons who came to live with Helen and her father and mother and remained close to her all her life. She became close to their children, who called her “Grandma” and with their children as well and with her other VanWoerkom nieces and nephews, who regarded her as their Matriarch.
She spent almost all of her life at the house her father built at 221 Sherman Ave and where she was born. After he passed away, she maintained the house and remained robust into her middle 90s, even shoveling snow off her back steps and walk and driving other seniors of her age to the store and appointments. At length, she moved for her last years to Christian Haven Home where she made friendships and lived happily. She survived an attack of covid but declined for some time after, and attended by family, passed to her Lord.
There will be a memorial service for her at First Reformed Church where she was a lifetime member. This will be at a later date as determined by her family and how soon they might gather. Please sign the family’s online guestbook at www.sytsemafh.com.
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