Reka Manning

LIFESTORY:

Reka Siegers was born in Holland, Michigan on April 5, 1919 to Samuel and Jessie Siegers. She grew up the youngest of eleven siblings, residing at W. 17th Street. While still very young her oldest sister Ida raised her on a farm in Borculo and she graduated from 8th grade at Owens School a one room school house on June 6, 1934. She met Arie Manning and was married on March 17, 1939 in a Parsonage of North Blendon Reformed Church. Arie predeceased her on March 21, 1976.

They purchased 20 acres in Allendale on December 26, 1941. They truck farmed this land and sold the produce at the Grand Rapids Farmer’s Market. Carl and Roland were born a few years later.

In 1957 they sold the farm and moved to Little Pine Island Lake.

The family spent many years fishing together on Little Pine Island Lake. Reka caught the biggest large mouth bass the family still talks about. The family also spent many years trout fishing and hunting at a cabin north of Iron Mountain.

She was an exceptional cook, making things from scratch and her entire family remembers her cinnamon rolls, apple dumplings, date filled cookies, and loved to cook for her family.

Reka moved to Windmill Trailer Park and renewed acquaintances with an old school chum, Gert. They had a ball traveling by bus to many, many places including Wabash, Ohio, Shipshewana, Indiana, Branson, Missouri, Wisconsin Dells, boat trip down the Mississippi river, and various places in Canada to name a few.

She had a remarkable talent with crafts of all kinds. She would look at a picture of an object and recreate it using some art medium without any pattern. She was always doing something, from crocheting, painting, bead work flowers, plant hangars, tables, and dolls. She also made items out of plastic grocery bags and art canvas creations. Most of her paintings were of landscapes. Her latest craft project was creating animals out of paper rolls, construction paper and creating features on each one.

She entered and won ribbons for many of her crafts at the Ottawa County Fair. She also sold her crafts at a craft fair.

She enjoyed watching birds and butterflies at Carl and Judi’s house. She also enjoyed “bird watching” excursions. She was real good and finding the Red-tailed Hawks along the roads.

Reka moved to Greenbrier Apartments in 2002. She made many new friends and looked forward to Bingo every Friday night. She made a roller skate out of plastic canvas and every time they called out “B8” she held up the roller skate and said “B8 roller skate”. A bingo player told us about this.

In the last few years she used her creative wizardry using the Cricut paper die cut machine with cartridges. She especially enjoyed making cards for family and friends and no two cards were alike. Each was truly an amazing creation.

She was remarkable person who took lots of digital pictures and printed them herself. She especially enjoyed the sunsets from her home.

She was very comfortable with modern technology at her age.

We will always remember her ritual of waving to us from her 3rd floor balcony as we left after a visit.

Reka was preceded in death by her husband, Arie in 1976 and a daughter, Marcella in 1949.

Surviving are her children, Carl and Judi Manning of Holland and Roland and Pam Manning of Comstock Park; 2 grandchildren, Chad Manning and Matthew Manning; nephews, nieces, and cousins.

Funeral services will be held 11 am Tuesday at Calvin Christian Reformed Church, 387 W. Lakewood Blvd., with the Rev. Christopher Cassis officiating.

Burial will be in Allendale Cemetery.

Visitation will be 7-9 pm Monday at the Dykstra Funeral Homes-Northwood Chapel.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Holland.

For more information and an online registry, visit www.dykstrafuneralhome.com.