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Gretchen Vanders

August 24, 2020
Kalamazoo, MI

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Quietly and peacefully on Monday, August 24, Gretchen Kay Vanders (Miller) was called home by her loving Savior after a short illness. Gretchen was born on February 10, 1942, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to the late Frederick and Lillian Miller, a few minutes after her twin brother Gordon. After graduating from Grand Rapids Christian High School, attending Calvin College, and graduating from Blodgett School of Nursing in 1963, Gretchen met Herman Vanders on a blind date in 1965 and married him on June 4, 1966. They raised their two daughters, Karen and Pam in Kalamazoo and are active members at Heritage Christian Reformed Church. After they moved to Kalamazoo, Gretchen began her 40 year-long nursing career at Bronson. Her specialty developed from Pediatric Intensive Care to the new field of Neonatology. Nurse Gretchen was known for the kindness she showed to the parents of preemies, teaching them how to feed, hold and change tiny diapers so that they could be confident when the time came to take their baby home. Through the years, the families she served at Bronson would often come back to see her or send her cards showing how the babies she cared for were growing up and thriving. Even while working long hours she was involved in and supported her daughters' school activities. After 40+ years as a nurse, Gretchen greatly enjoyed her retirement. Gretchen and Herm enjoyed traveling. She became involved in many Bible studies, book clubs, card clubs (Phase Ten), "lunch bunch," etc. She also used her time to volunteer at church and even led a Bible lesson time for neighborhood kids on Sunday afternoons. Gretchen will be greatly missed at the Fountains, where she led a "Grow Group,"-singing, Bible study, and occasional luncheons with the residents. Gretchen's greatest joy in recent years was being a grandma. Her time with the Michigan grandkids involved watching their sporting events, shopping, eating out and cooking for them. Her California grandkids called her "Yellow Grandma" in reference to her favorite color. She loved going to California at least twice a year and enjoyed soaking up the sunshine and visiting interesting sites. Gretchen was preceded in death by her parents and is survived by her husband, Herman Vanders; daughters, Karen (Daniel) Block and Pam (Brent) Van Zwaluwenburg; grandchildren, Erica and Derek Block and Zachary, Mitchell and Jenna Van Zwaluwenburg; brother, Gordon (Shari) Miller. Memorial contributions can be made in honor of Gretchen to The Kalamazoo Christian School Association or to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan. Please visit Gretchen's online guest book to leave a condolence at https://www.langelands.com