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Elaine Bareman

June 9, 1935 - June 4, 2017
Grand Rapids, MI

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Visitation

Wednesday, June 7, 2017
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM EDT
Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes
Van Strien Creston Chapel
1833 Plainfield Ave., N.E
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
(616) 361-2613
Driving Directions

Service

Thursday, June 8, 2017
11:00 AM EDT
Riverside Christian Reformed Church
602 Comstock Blvd NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
Map

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

Kindred Hospice
625 Kenmoor Ave SE #115
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Web Site

Flowers


Below is the contact information for a florist recommended by the funeral home.

Ball Park Floral
8 Valley Ave.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 459-3409
Driving Directions
Web Site

Life Story / Obituary


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Elaine Bareman devoted her life to serving others. She accomplished so many things of which to be proud, but her greatest source of pride and joy was found in her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was an active member in her church community and treasured the many wonderful friendships she made there over the years. Elaine leaves behind a wonderful collection of memories that her loved ones will cherish forever.

Looking back on the 1930s, it is difficult to recall much of anything that wasn’t affected by the Great Depression. There were few jobs and a soaring unemployment rate that left countless American families without homes. Despite these tough times, Adrian and Minnie (Mol) Noorthoek celebrated with great joy the arrival of their newborn baby girl, Elaine, on June 9, 1935, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She was the youngest of their growing family and her birth brought much happiness and promise to the family home.

Growing up on Hoover Street with her older siblings, Bea, Ruth, and Joe, Elaine was often spoiled, as she was twelve years younger than her siblings. As a matter of fact, she was closer in age to some of her nieces and nephews! Elaine spent many trips to Houghton Lake each summer where they spent countless hours on the water. Over the course of her lifetime, she attributed those days to her passion for the outdoors and her love of the water. Through her years, she enjoyed white water rafting, jumping into lakes no matter the water temperature, and seeking adventures such as parasailing or paddling along a shoreline. Very active as a teen, she spent her time helping her mother in the theater productions at school and working at the D & C dime store. She learned to play piano, but preferred to play and sing alone at home. After graduating from Creston High School, Elaine went to work for Steelcase, where she worked in the administrative office. A short time later, Mills Paper Company was also lucky to have her on their staff before she settled down with Larry Bareman. The two of them met while at a hymn sing while he was attending Calvin College. When he returned home to California, his heartstrings remained connected to Elaine back in Michigan and he hurried back to propose to her! They were the first couple to be married at the newly built Riverside Christian Reformed Church on May 2, 1958. Settling on the southeast side, they raised three wonderful children together.

Elaine took her role as a mother very seriously. There wasn’t a costume she couldn’t sew, a camp she didn’t attend, or a treat she didn’t fuss over to prepare for her kids’ various activities over the years. She truly felt motherhood was her calling. To keep herself focused, she was known to rely on a very organized schedule. Baking on Mondays and cleaning on Fridays, she liked everything in its place. She often took her cleaning to the extreme even dusting off the lampshades in the front yard! In addition to her strong skills at keeping a tidy home, Elaine was recognized for her ability to live on a shoestring budget! She was remarkable in stretching the family funds just enough to afford them many family camping trips including two weeks at their annual destination of Sand Lake.

Later, the family moved to the home they built on Wildridge Court where she made sure to take advantage of their swimming pool. Over the years, she loved to tinker in her flower garden and work in the yard. As the kids grew older, they vacationed out west and she chose to go back to work. Lucky to land a food service position with her children’s high school at Forest Hills Northern, she didn’t miss out on their growing years. She was more than just a lunch lady, however. Elaine had a real knack for building relationships with the students. She would often clip their sports newspaper articles and pictures from the local paper to share with them. It was no wonder she worked there for nearly twenty-five years as she so enjoyed the interaction with students.

She and Larry lived a life together that was comfortable and full of mutual love and respect. Loyal to their local teams, they enjoyed years of cheering on their Wolverines, Tigers, Lions, and Pistons! She was steadfast in her devotion to serving others, even visiting her mother twice a week for several years when she was in a nursing home. Known for her Sunday dinners with all of her family over, Elaine seemed to thrive wherever they were around even if it appeared like chaos. To have her children and grandchildren over for special family gatherings filled her heart with delight.

Elaine lived a faithful life. From an early age, she lived by her words and actions and loved to sing hymns. Whenever she faced a challenge in life, she trusted in her Lord and Savior. Her faith was unshakeable. When Larry became sick, she cared for him at home before he passed away. She leaned on the support of her family and depended on scripture to guide her. Over the past few years, she remained very active by staying busy with her growing family and serving in her community. As she began to show signs of memory loss, the family moved her to Story Point in Rockford where she peacefully passed away. Elaine was a quiet, funny, and positive person. Her life touched so many people as she modeled sincere generosity and compassion for others, never putting herself first. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Elaine J. Bareman, age 81 of Grand Rapids, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on June 4, 2017. She has been reunited with her husband, Larry, as well as her parents, brother, and sisters. Elaine is survived by her children Lori & Dan Overbeek, Jim & Sharon Bareman, Kathy & Bruce TerVeen; grandchildren Sara (Will) Almeida, Andrew (Jessica) Overbeek and Rebecca Overbeek, Nick and Julia Bareman, Jessica, Justin and Jenna TerVeen; great-grandchildren Asher and Gratian Almeida and many nieces, nephews and cousins. The service to remember and celebrate her life will be held on Thursday, June 8 at 11 AM at Riverside Christian Reformed Church. Friends are invited to visit with her family on Wednesday from 6-8 PM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Van Strien Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield Ave NE. Interment in Fairplains Cemetery. For those who wish, memorial contributions to Kindred Hospice are appreciated. To share a memory or photo, or to sign her guestbook, visit www.lifestorynet.com

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