Nellie Engelsma

All who knew Nellie Engelsma would agree that she was a special person. She was a hardworking woman with a strong and independent spirit. Upon spending only a few moments with Nellie, it was clear that she had a twinkle in her eye and a slight sense of mischief about her. She loved having fun and playing jokes and often spiced up the family get togethers. She had a wonderful smile and shared it often. Her favorite thing to do was to give gifts and treats away.

She was deeply devoted to her family and faithful to her church. Nellie loved children. With a journey that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, Nellie created a priceless collection of memories that her loved ones will forever cherish.

With the end of WWI in 1918, America was recognized as a world leader for the first time and poised for greatness. These were prosperous days. There were more affordable cars due to the assembly line that brought the world around us within our reach. Nellie loved her cars, in fact she bought her first car before she knew how to drive and her brother Jim gave her driving instructions. Some of her favorite cars were her brand new Mustang and later her little green VW Bug. She always drove a stick shift. Amidst this exciting decade was the year 1924 that was filled with anticipation for George and Cornelia (Neele) Engelsma as they waited the birth of their new baby. On August 20th the baby girl they named Nellie was born. She was the fourth of six children born to her parents and was raised on the family farm at 3884 O’Brien Road, NW, alongside her older siblings, Theodore, Jeannette, and Donald, and her younger siblings, James and Barbara. Her father was a hardworking farmer while her mother was a busy homemaker.

The Englesma family was deeply rooted in Dutch heritage as both of her parents were immigrants to America. Her father came to this country when he was 13 while her mother was born on the boat en route to the United States! Nellie’s father was a dairy farmer while her mother had more than enough to keep her busy in raising their family and keeping their home. Nellie had her fair share of farm chores to complete after school as she raised a flock of chickens herself and sold the eggs as well as apples at the farmers market on Leonard Street, NW. She and her siblings all attended a one-room schoolhouse called McCarthy School, which was walking distance from their home.

Although Nellie never married, she was blessed to share her life with her brother, Donald. After their parents died, they sold the farm and built a new home at 3980 O’Brien Road where they lived together.

Nellie did spend some time in the workforce. For two years she ran a mangle, a type of pressing machine, at American Laundry, and she later worked at Tanglefoot, a manufacturing company that made pest repellent supplies. After five years, Nellie began working in the kitchen at Beacon Light Nursing Home in Marne in addition to cleaning residential homes for several years and cleaning at WFUR, a local radio station, on Saturday mornings. For a couple years Nellie enjoyed meeting new people as a greeter at Wendy’s. Nellie often liked to mix fun with work. In the earlier years she would take her nieces and nephews with her.

Around home Nellie was one to keep busy. She was an amazing gardener with numerous beautiful flowers around her house to show for her effort. Nellie also grew vegetables, many of which she ended up freezing and canning as she was a hard worker in everything she did. She made the most amazing candy, especially peanut brittle and her sea foam were so good that she sold them at craft shows. Nellie could often be found reading her Bible, and other religious stories. She looked forward to going to church on Sundays and she loved singing Psalms and hymns. Nellie cherished visits from her nieces and nephews, all of whom she loved dearly, and she made them feel so special by showering them with sweet treats and trips to the dime store. In addition, Nellie liked knitting and crocheting. She always had a special place in her heart for animals and had a few Pekingese dogs including Lisa, Rebecca, and most recently, Honey Boy.

As she aged, Nellie’s health began to decline. After suffering several falls, she was not able to live independently with her brother any longer. When her keys were taken away due to unsafe driving, she simply decided to walk to Meijer and get her groceries; a good neighbor brought her home. It was time to move her to a safer place, which brought her to Heartland Healthcare and then to Allendale Nursing Home where she continued to enjoy frequent visits from her siblings. More recently, she came down with pneumonia, which took a great toll and led to a rapid decline in her health.

With endless amounts of love for the ones she held dear, Nellie Engelsma was such a blessing. Nellie was not one to worry about herself, but she had a heart for those who were truly in need, especially children. She also cared about those who were persecuted for their faith. Nellie was a hardworking woman who wholeheartedly applied herself to everything she did, and her strength was truly inspiring. She had a zest for life that was contagious, and she had a great sense of humor, too. Nellie will never be forgotten.

Nellie Engelsma, aged 90 of Grand Rapids, passed away Friday morning, March 20, 2015 at Allendale Nursing Home. She is survived by her brothers and sister, Donald Engelsma, James Engelsma, and Barbara Koning; her sister-in-law, Corrine Engelsma; many nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her brother, Theodore Engelsma, her sister, Jeanette (John) DeMaagd, her sister-in-law, Marie Engelsma, her brother-in-law, Herman Koning. A special thank you to the staff of Allendale Nursing home and Dr. Steven Hamberg for the love and care given to Nellie and her family the last six years. The funeral service for Nellie will be held on Monday, March 23, 2015 at 11:00 AM at Heritage Lifestory Funeral Home – 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW. Burial in Riverbend Cemetery. Relatives and friends may meet her family at the funeral home on Sunday from 6:00 – 8:30 PM and again on Monday from 10:00 AM until the service begins. Contributions in her memory may be made to COAH - Helping People in Eastern Europe. To read more about Nellie’s life, to sign her guest book and to leave your own memory of her, visit her web page at www.lifestorynet.com