Mary Veltema

Mary B. Veltema was welcomed home to heaven on the afternoon of Saturday, March 22, after a brief struggle with cancer. She was born on December 21, 1955. Mary lived a life of service to her Lord. After high school, she began her career in healthcare and was a critical care nurse for several years. She then left her nursing career here to work on a mission field in Canada on Manitoulin Island. In her retirement, she was active in serving in a variety of ways including quilting and a prayer shawl ministry. She also was a volunteer for Emmanuel Hospice, active in her church as a member of the choir and the mission committee, and a member of the Republican Women of Ottawa County. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Stan and Wilma Veltema; sister, Linnea Veltema; and nephew, Caleb Storteboom. She is survived by her siblings, Rick Veltema, Jo and Chuck Rowe, Sandy and Jim Jager, and Trudy and Jim Storteboom; nieces and nephews, Anthony and Carissa Jager, Tricia and Calvin VanKoevering, Erika and Tyler VanderMeulen, Staci and Jeremy Clawson, Autumn Storteboom and Michael Messina, Alexis and Spencer Smith, Andrew and Kortney Storteboom, and Elizabeth Storteboom; 16 great-nieces and great-nephews; her aunt, Esther Rozeveld; and many cousins. The family wants to especially thank the nurses at Blodgett ICU, St. Ann’s Home, and Emmanuel Hospice for the loving care given to Mary over the past two weeks. They would also like to express special thanks to their loving cousin, Phyllis Jean Wychers Kleeves, who was a wonderful support to them and to Mary over the past two weeks. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, March 27, at 11:00 a.m. at Baldwin Street Christian Reformed Church, 2101 Baldwin St., with Rev. Ron Baker officiating. The burial will take place at Georgetown Township Cemetery. Relatives and friends may visit with the family on Thursday from 9:30-11:00 a.m. prior to the service at the church. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to Facilitators International for the support of Arbin and Bimala Pokharel or to  Wiikwemkoong Fellowship. 

The service will be live streamed and can be viewed via this link.