Jean Zuidweg

Jean Ann Zuidweg, age 81, of Kalamazoo, MI died at Rose Arbor Hospice Residence on Tuesday, January 17, 2017. Jean was born September 9, 1935 in Vicksburg, MI, the daughter of the late Donald G. and Doris (Earle) Skidmore. She graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School and worked as a drug inspector at The Upjohn Company for eighteen years, with breaks for raising her children and work at the Portage Public Schools. Jean married her high school sweetheart, Donald R. Zuidweg in 1956 and they celebrated sixty years of marriage. Family was always very important! Jean is survived by her husband, Don; son, Alan Zuidweg and daughter, Lauri (James) Christopherson; grandchildren, Matthew (Lauren) Christopherson, Alison Christopherson, Adrian Zuidweg and Emily Zuidweg; great-grandson, Bryce Christopherson; sister, Earlene (Cal) DeForest; sisters-in-law, Janet Hanson and Alice Carpentier; nieces and nephews, Luanne (Marshall) Castle, Ted (Rene) Hanson, Charles Carpentier, and Jason (Celena) DeForest; her dear sister Dani's children, Steve Crane, Jeff (Kay) Crane and Julie (Jeff) Quick all of Atlanta. Preceding Jean in death were her son, Scot Zuidweg; her mother, Doris (Robert) Hook; her father, Donald Skidmore; her very dear sister, Dani Crane and her husband, Roger; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Adrian and Edna Zuidweg; her brother-in-law, Rudy Hanson; and many aunts, uncles and cousins. Jean was active in St. Joseph Catholic Church, Chapel Hill Methodist Church and First United Methodist Church over a number of years. Jean enjoyed travel with favorites being Ireland, Australia, Grand Rivers of Europe, Hawaii, Tucson, her condo on Marco Island, visits to nieces and nephews in Atlanta, trips to Maine and many wonderful times at the cottage on Lake Ann in the Grand Traverse Area. She was a good cook with an eye for design for herself and her home and was a loyal and loving wife, mother and friend. She enjoyed get-togethers with former coworkers and high school reunions, where she served on the reunion committee. She fought diabetes and heart failure for many years through careful diet and faithful exercise, but was brought down by acute leukemia. Friends may visit with the family from 10 11 a.m. on Friday, January 27th at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Westside Chapel, 3926 S. 9th St. The service will follow at 11 a.m., with Rev. Dan Duncan officiating. Private interment will take place in Mt. Ever-Rest Memorial Park, South. Memorial gifts may be directed in Jean's name to Rose Arbor Hospice Residence, American Diabetes Association or American Cancer Society.