Joyce Feenstra

Joyce Feenstra, age 98, of Allendale, passed away peacefully Sunday night, August 28, 2016. Born on February 22, 1918, to Henry and Jennie Ykema in Hancock Minnesota and raised on a farm in north-west Iowa, she moved to Grand Rapids looking for work when she was eighteen. There she met John Feenstra and they were married on June 11, 1941. They chose farming as their lifelong vocation and raised and marketed fruit and asparagus from the family home for over 50 years, enjoying the friendships with generations of customers. For many years they were members of Eastmanville Christian Reformed Church and for the last several years have been members of Second Allendale Christian Reformed Church. Joyce is survived by her children: Roger and Grace (Hutt) Feenstra, Janice and Herbert Everman, Bernard and Cheryl (Artz) Feenstra, Robert and Lorraine (Key) Feenstra and Margaret (Nagelkirk) Feenstra. She is also survived by a sister, Anita VanMannen of Iowa; a brother and sister-in-law, Norman and Evelyn Ykema of Minnesota; a sister-in-law, Wanda Ykema of Arizona; seventeen grandchildren and thirty great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 71 years, John in 2012; a son, David in December 2015; and a grandchild, Laura Feenstra in 1985. Funeral services will be held on Friday at 11 AM at Second Allendale Christian Reformed Church, 6950 Lake Michigan Drive, Allendale, with Rev Harold Veldman officiating and interment at Allendale Township Cemetery. Relatives and friends may meet the family on Thursday from 5-8 PM at Matthysse-Kuiper-Degraaf Funeral Home (corner of Avery and Scott) 6651 Scott St., Allendale. The family praises God for blessings of wisdom, faithfulness, generosity, consistency, and the work-ethic she demonstrated throughout her life as Mother, Grandmother, and Great Grandmother. She will be missed but will be remembered for her apple pies, canning, quilting and oil painting, as well as the hair dressing business she started in mid-life, and the stories of travels done with her husband. If you wish to make donations in her name, you may contribute to Back to God Ministries International, Allendale Christian School or Unity Christian High School.

Leave Your Tribute Message

September 02, 2016

Our condolences to your family. There are so many great memories of times at the Feenstra house and Joyce's laugh still rings clearly. A great person with a big heart!

- Dave & Sally Hoekstra

September 01, 2016

I offer my sincere condolences to the Feenstra family. It can be hard to find comfort after the loss of a loved one. In these times we often wonder will suffering ever end. The bible tells us that "soon suffering will be no more." and that we can "look to God for comfort in all of our trials." (Revelation 21: 3,4) - (2 Corinthians 1: 3, 4) jw.org

- Pearl

September 01, 2016

Dear family of Joyce, May our Lord comfort you in the loss of your mother. I remember her cheerful nature and the good company of your folks when the Feenstras, Van Doornes, Homans and Roedemas got together. Soon we'll all be together again. Bless the Lord for his great love. - Jean Homan

- Jean Homan

August 30, 2016

My sincere sympathies to all of my Michigan cousins and your families in the loss of your Mom, Grandma, and Great-Grandma. There really are no words that will make your feeling of loss go away, but knowing your Mom lives on helps replace loss with peace. "In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" (John 14:2,3). No more sorrow. No more pain. Truly in the presence of Jesus with those who have traveled there before her. Eternity is a hard concept to fathom, but I'm grateful for the promise!

- Carol Russell