Grace Sylvia Gortsema

Grace S. Gortsema, 97, went home to her Lord and Savior on October 29, 2019.

Grace was born February 4, 1922 in Grangeville, Idaho to Gerben and Minnie (Sloot) Kingma.  There she grew up on the family farm and attended school.  On September 14, 1941, she married the love of her life, Jake Gortsema. 

She worked side by side with her husband on their farm in Grangeville.  In 1956 the family moved to Sunnyside so that their children could attend Sunnyside Christian School.  In 2012, Grace moved to Lynden.  Her greatest joy was her husband and her family.  They enjoyed many family activities together including camping and traveling.  After their children were married, Jake and Grace traveled to see them wherever they were located.

Grace was active in Sunnyside Christian Reformed Church with Calvinettes, a girls youth group;  active in Sunnyside Christian School Mothers Circle, and at the Christian School thrift shop in both Sunnyside and Lynden;  with groups making quilts for those in need; and in 4H teaching young women to sew.  She took pride in her years as a custodian for Sunnyside Valley Memorial Hospital.  In Lynden, she was a member of Second Christian Reformed Church where she was active in church life and Bible study groups.  Until recently she was hosting a Bible study group in her room at Meadow Greens in Lynden.

Grace is survived by her children:  Rose Marie (Tom) Roosendaal of Vancouver, WA;  Jean (Gary) Kamps of Lynden;  Carol (Tony) Compaan of Jacksonville, FL;  Eileen (Jesse) Timmermans of Lynden;  and Marci (Steve) VanderGriend of Reedley, CA;  15 grandchildren;  39 great-grandchildren;  and 14 great-great-grandchildren;  her brother George (Teddy) Kingma of Bozeman, MT;  and sisters-in-law Alice Kingma, Ann Bos, Rosella DeHaas, and Anna Marie Gortsema of Grangeville, ID

She was preceded in death by her husband Jake; grandson Zachary VanderGriend; and great-granddaughter Robyn Roosendaal;  brother Herman (Alice) Kingma; sister Winnie (Clarence) Danhof;  and her parents.

A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday, November 4, 2019 at Meadow Greens, 301 Homestead Blvd, Lynden, WA.  At 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 5, 2019, a private family graveside service will be held at Lower Valley Memorial Gardens cemetery in Sunnyside, followed at 2:00 p.m. by a memorial service at the Sunnyside Christian Reformed Church, 700 N. 16th Street, Sunnyside, WA.  All are welcome at the memorial services.

Those wishing to honor Grace’s memory may contribute to the van maintenance fund at Second Christian Reformed Church in Lynden. Those wishing to sign Grace’s online memorial book may do so at www.funeralhomesmith.com Smith Funeral Home is in care of arrangements.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Grace Sylvia Gortsema, please visit our floral store.