Adriana was born July 4, 1929, in Kanawha, IA to Peter and Sadie (Beninga) DeWaard. She was the oldest of five children who knew the hard work of farm life during the depression. After receiving her RN degree from Broadlawns Nursing School in Des Moines, Iowa, she and classmate, Lauralyn Green, left on the adventure of beginning their nursing careers in Annapolis, Maryland. There she met Midshipman Duane Ubbe Beving, originally from Ackley, Iowa. He became her husband on June 26, 1956. His naval career gave them 30 years of adventure traveling from Iowa to Maryland, San Diego, Boston, New London, CT, Honolulu, HI, Washington DC, Bremerton, WA, Charleston, SC, Rota, Spain, and back to Washington DC.
In many ways it was a difficult life, pulling up roots frequently and acclimating her children to yet another school system. She did it well, often as a “single parent” with her spouse deployed out to sea. Finding a church home at each place was always important to Adriana, as it kept her family grounded. She has passed that desire to her children and grandchildren. Adriana was most recently a member of Silver Spring Christian Reformed Church and Park Christian Reformed Church.
Adriana resumed her nursing career part time when the youngest started school. She worked into her 70s. She loved being a nurse and could not understand why her daughters did not pursue that career.
Adriana is survived by her two daughters and their husbands: Drs. Susan and Richard Strikwerda, Holland, MI; Dr. Jean Beving and Mark VanDyke, Silver Spring, MD; as well as grandchildren and seven great grandsons: Dr. Amy Strikwerda and David Flikkema, Jasper and Ubbe, Grand Rapids, MI; Dr. Rachel and Kevin VanHaitsma, Caleb, Bruce, and August, Ada, MI; Drs. John and Jessi Strikwerda, Willem, Rochester, MN; Megan and Hrvoje Svedruzic, Adrian, Osijek, Croatia; Russell Van Dyke, Silver Spring, MD.
She is also survived by her sister, Ruth Diephuis, Grand Rapids, MI, and sisters-in-law, Ethel Ann Koch, Cedar Falls, IA; Neva Mae Erpelding, Jesup, IA, and Marylou Heetland, Pella, IA.
Adriana was preceded in death by her son, Capt. John Arthur Beving USMC, who gave his life for his country in August of 1992 as a helicopter pilot in Kuwait. This was the biggest tragedy she faced.
Her husband Capt. Duane Ubbe Beving USN, died January 2001. Without him, her travels ended, other than a move to Freedom Village in Holland in 2019.
Also, preceding Adriana in death were her parents and brothers: Gary DeWaard, Kanawha, IA; Herm and Ann DeWaard, Kalamazoo, MI; John and Bev DeWaard, Kanawha, IA.
A memorial service will take place at 11:00 AM on Thursday, August 10, 2023, at Park Christian Reformed Church, 1496 W. 32nd St. Holland, MI 49423. Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
Arrangements are by Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 East 16th Street, Holland, MI 49423. To leave condolences online, please visit, www.langelandsterenberg.com.
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