Ruth Anne Buitendorp's Obituary
Ruth Anne Buitendorp, age 76 of Norton Shores passed away peacefully Friday, May 17, 2024, at Grand Pines Assisted Living Community. She was born June 27, 1947, in Muskegon to Gerritt and Blanche (Johnson) DeKoning.
Ruth graduated from West Michigan Christian High School in 1965. She continued her education at Muskegon Community College and received her BA in education from Central Michigan University in 1969. Ruth taught elementary education for the Chippewa Hills School District until she retired in 2002. After retiring from teaching, she continued her career as a Literacy Consultant for the MOISD until 2011.
On August 24, 1968, she married Robert Buitendorp. They resided in Blanchard Michigan for almost 50 years before moving back to the westside of Michigan to Norton Shores where she was close to her beloved Lake Michigan once again. Ruth enjoyed gardening, reading, learning, traveling and spending time with family and friends. Ruth made all gatherings special whether it was playing Trivial Pursuit, sister trips, dinners at home or out enjoying local restaurants and running into old friends, Camp Aunt Ruth for her nieces and nephews, singing in the car, or rides to the lake, Ruth had a way to make everything more fun. Her skills as a writer and storyteller enriched our lives. She wrote two books for her family and authored many hilarious (and sometimes true) email accounts of adventures at home or on the road. She will be greatly missed, but we are grateful for her life and that she was a part of our lives for as long as we had her.
She is survived by her husband of almost 56 years, Robert; daughter, Ann (David) Bilbey of Ashland, VA and their children, Allison, and Julia Bilbey; exchange daughter, Sanna Ardland of Sweden, and her children, Jonna, and Malva Ardland; siblings: Joan (Robert) Jansma, Judy Schutter, Joseph (Katherine) DeKoning, Karla (Peter) Hitchcock, and Nan (Dan) Joslyn; brother and sister-in-law, Gordon and Mary Buitendorp; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her three infant sons, her brother-in-law, Harold Schutter, her parents Gerritt and Blanche DeKoning, and her mother-in-law, Renza Buitendorp.
A memorial service and celebration of life is planned for 1:00 PM Saturday July 13, 2024 at The Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services, 6291 S. Harvey Street, Norton Shores, MI 49444. Memorial contributions in memory of Ruth may be given to the Alzheimer’s Association or Feeding America. Please sign the family’s online guestbook at http://www.sytsemafh.com.
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