Rena DeVries

Rena (VanderVeen) DeVries, born July 9, 1930 in Decatur, Michigan to Ralph and Elsie (Kuiper) VanderVeen, passed away on August 17, 2023, to join her Lord and Savior in heaven. At the age of six Rena moved with her family to Kalamazoo, where she attended Woodward School and Kalamazoo Central High School. She went to work at F.W. Woolworth in downtown Kalamazoo until the birth of her first child. On October 25, 1950, she married the love of her life, Marvin E. DeVries, who preceded her in death on December 5, 2022. Surviving are six children: David (Kalamazoo MI), Carol (William) Braat (Kalamazoo MI), James (Lisa) DeVries (Hastings MI), Jerry (Kimberly) DeVries (Lakeland FL), Steven (Terri) DeVries (Kalamazoo MI), and Mary Romanak (Portage MI), 11 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren (with another due in March), and cousins, nieces, and nephews. Rena was also predeceased by her parents; father-in-law and mother-in-law John and Winnie (Morren) DeVries; son-in-law Mark Romanak; sisters Elsie Hoekstra, Elizabeth Klaassen, and Tena Corning; several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; and three nieces. Rena was a member of Covenant United Reformed Church in Kalamazoo, and before that was a member of Second Christian Reformed Church, also in Kalamazoo. At both churches she worked on committees that provided food for wedding and funeral receptions. Rena's activities included cooking, baking, sending greeting cards and condolences, visiting with friends and relatives, traveling, and going to garage sales and thrift shops. She also enjoyed attending the Bank Street Flea Market as both a buyer and a seller. Rena loved her family, and they could not have asked for a better example of what a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother should be. She will be truly missed because her kindness was such a blessing in their lives. Private family interment will be in Grand Prairie Cemetery. Friends may meet the family from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm on Tuesday, August 22, at the Covenant United Reformed Church, 3724 Lovers Lane, Kalamazoo, MI 49001, where funeral services will follow at 1:30 pm. A light reception will follow the service. Memorials may be directed to Covenant United Reformed Church or to Centrica Care Navigators. To view Rena's personalized guestbook, please visit https://www.langelands.com