Hennie Krommendyk, our beloved Mom and Oma, gained her heavenly home on January 27th surrounded by her loving family. She passed after a two-and-a-half-year battle with cancer which was fought with faith, strength, determination, grace, and acceptance of God’s plan for her life.
Hennie is survived by her son, John (Christine), and their 3 children Mitchell (Sophia), Jacob (Tori), and Nicole (John) all of Western Michigan; and her daughter, Judy of Harlingen, Texas. She is also survived by her sister Gerda of Nijverdal, her brother-in-law Andy (Joyce) of Zeeland, and her many nieces and nephews both in Michigan and The Netherlands. Hennie was predeceased by her beloved husband of 55 years, Herman; her sister Riek, brother Bertus and numerous brothers-in-law.
Hennie was born on Sunday, March 29, 1936, in Nijverdal, The Netherlands. Growing up in The Netherlands during World War II and the Nazi occupation impacted her appreciation for peace, freedom, and well-stocked refrigerators and cupboards. As young kids, we learned not to say, “There’s nothing to eat in this house…” because we would be reminded of what nothing to eat really looked like.
In 1951 she met the great love of her life, Herman, while working in a factory in Nijverdal. Mom was young and beautiful and Dad was a charmer. They dated for 7 years being unable to get married because of a complete lack of housing available in The Netherlands after the war. Finally, dad decided to pursue opportunities in the United States. He came to “check things out” for a year, before returning to marry mom and bring her to the United States (For their honeymoon, they took their emigration Trans-Atlantic cruise on the Holland America Statendam. Mom suffered such horrible seasickness that she begged dad to just throw her overboard. Because of this, neither of them had any interest in taking a cruise until 2012 when they took their long-discussed cruise to Alaska which was again on the Holland America Statendam. Fortunately, they had a wonderful time with no seasickness).
Upon moving to the United States, they settled in Zeeland. Mom learned English through television, her job, and the grocery store. She maintained her Dutch accent throughout her life and delighted in telling people that she was taking pills to get rid of her accent (or telling them it was an Irish accent and smiling at their confusion). Mom worked in a variety of jobs before retiring from the Prince Corporation as an industrial seamstress sewing the armrests and other interior parts for cars.
She retired in 1994 and started her new adventures with Herm. They enjoyed spending time at their cottage with family, friends, and each other. Mom named the cottage Nooit Gedact [never imagined] because she never thought that two immigrants from Nijverdal would be able to have a summer cottage. They loved babysitting their 3 grandchildren and endlessly watching Willy Wonka and attending hockey games. They volunteered in Catalina, Arizona for Wycliffe Bible Translators avoiding the Michigan winter and helping others. They enjoyed going to The Netherlands to visit family, and they loved traveling throughout the United States ultimately visiting 49 of 50 states. They enjoyed taking “a little drive” to visit Judy in Texas. One of their favorite activities was “driving a hole in the wind” throughout the state of Michigan as they explored back roads. When Dad would complain about gas prices, Mom would remind him that they could either pay the price or stay home.
After Herm’s passing in 2014, Hennie began the next phase of her life which surprised all of us. She became active in the Zeeland Community Water Aerobics program with her beloved “pool ladies.” She used her talents for knitting, sewing, and quilting with many local volunteer organizations. She knitted hundreds of baby booties, blankets, and hats. She made baby quilts. She made personalized pillowcases for local children through Jackson’s Web. Her many activities gave her joy and purpose. Mom was always working on a project, whether it was cross-stitching, knitting socks or sweaters for her family, or crocheting a blanket for one of us; her hands were rarely still. All of these activities brought her joy, but she really loved going for a pontoon boat ride on Crooked Lake even if that meant she needed to be bundled up in a winter coat, hat, gloves, and blankets.
The family would like to extend our thanks and gratitude for the many calls, cards, and visits extended to Mom. We are also grateful for the excellent care provided to Mom in her last weeks at Hospice of Holland, specifically to Grace, Kelly, Julie, and Stephanie. We are grateful to Tori and Sophia for their gentle, loving care given daily to our Mom and Oma.
Although Mom loved flowers, she always told us to give them to her while she was alive and could enjoy them, not after she was gone. In keeping with that sentiment, the family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Hospice of Holland; Jackson’s Web at Faith Reformed Church in Zeeland; or the Hudsonville Quilters in care of 5821 Park Street, Hudsonville, Michigan 49426.
Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 1, 2023, at Bethel Christian Reformed Church, 515 E. Main Street, Zeeland. Burial will be in Zeeland Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, January 31, at Yntema Funeral Home, 251 S. State
St. Zeeland.
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