Barbara Vanderlaan

Barb Vanderlaan was a compassionate woman who always thought of the needs of others before considering her own. Each day she tried to bring happiness into the hearts of the many people she loved. Barb regarded her family as her greatest accomplishment, and she was the happiest when she was in their warm company. With the end of the Great War, thousands of young soldiers returned home to their civilian lives. The economy prospered and national industry expanded rapidly. Amid this climate of celebration, Harry Chaney and his wife Eloise Elliott discovered a more personal reason to celebrate. They were expecting a child, and on July 7, 1923 they welcomed their daughter Barbara into the family home in Muskegon. The eldest child in the family, Barb grew up in Muskegon with the company of her sister June and her brother Gordon. Their father provided for the family through his job as a mechanic for the Chevy Garage, and their mother stayed at home to tend to the chores and raise the children. The family house was located in the Marquette neighborhood, near the Forest Home Reformed Church where Barb was an active member. At fourteen years old, her father suddenly passed away. She was very close with her father. Throughout her lifetime, she continued to treasure many special memories of him, especially involving the days that they spent fishing together. During a Christmas pageant at her church, Barb was introduced to a handsome young man named Fred Wierenga. They each had roles in the pageant: Barb was playing Mary and Fred was one of the wise men. They enjoyed each other's company, and they soon began dating. After falling in love, they decided to get married. Barb left school, and she and Fred were united in marriage on December 18, 1939. Barb was sixteen years old; Fred was twenty-one. This was the beginning of a wonderful marriage that would last more than forty years. Family and friends rallied together to build a house for the young newlyweds. The Wierenga family owned eight blocks of property in the Marquette area, and Barb and Fred built their house on one of the lots. Barb created beautiful curtains while her husband worked the construction. The house was finished after just two weeks of hard work, though it lacked indoor plumbing. In the year 1940, Barb was elated to discover that she was pregnant with her first child. As an odd coincidence, her mother had remarried and she too was expecting a child. Mother and daughter were pregnant at the same time. Barb's child Harry was born in 1940. Shortly thereafter, Barb's youngest sister Katy was born. In 1941, Barb was blessed with the healthy birth of her second child Karen. To provide for their growing family, Fred worked on the family-owned celery farm just down the hill from their house. He later started working in the construction business, and eventually owned his own company. In addition to raising her children, Barb worked on the assembly line at Zepher Awning. She was highly regarded by her bosses, and they eventually sent her to school to study bookkeeping. Barb was a wonderful mother. She was always finding new ways to show her children how much she loved them. As Harry and Karen remember, "Mom made special days special." Barb never allowed a birthday or holiday to pass by without turning it into a magnificent celebration. Many family functions involved singing and dancing. Barb was a talented pianist, and she often contributed the music. In the year 1955, Barb and Fred purchased six acres on the north branch of the Pentwater River where they built a one-room cabin. The cabin featured an outhouse and a hand-pump for water; there was no electricity. This peaceful location attracted a variety of animals. As Barb used to say, "We share this cabin with the cows." Nearly every weekend, Barb and Fred would visit their cabin. They usually entertained other members of the family too. An excellent cook, Barb would whip up delicious dinners on a tiny four-burner propane stove. It was common to entertain between fifteen and twenty people on a given weekend. Over the years, they added onto the cabin little by little. Barb enjoyed designing the additions. She loved to decorate and paint - she even brightened up the outhouse! Many of Barb's fondest moments took place at the family cabin. It was a serene location, miles away from street lamps and electricity. In the nighttime, the sky was perfectly clear. Barb and the kids spent many nights outdoors, watching the Northern Lights and shooting stars. They also enjoyed singing to the radio, the entire family shouting along to Mitch Miller records. Barb maintained an active professional life. In the late 1950's she began working at Baldwin Heating as a bookkeeper. In 1967, Barb followed her husband to Hawaii where he had been hired to help build a bank. They spent five months on the Islands, and Barb learned how to make muumuus and cook Hawaiian dinners. Upon returning to Michigan, she took a job with Orchard View Public Schools where she continued to work until her retirement in 1986. Because of an injury that Fred sustained while working, she was the sole breadwinner for several years. Shortly after Fred returned to his job, he was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away in August of 1980. Barb relied on the support of her family and friends to help her deal with her sudden loss. She formed a friendship with George Vanderlaan, her neighbor and nephew-in-law. He was five years younger than Barb. George was a familiar face at the family cabin, and he and Barb had known each other for years. After Fred's death, he began helping her with chores around the house. As Karen recalls, "By Christmas they were a 'we'." George and Barb were married on May 1, 1981. With retirement Barb and George moved into the family cabin in Crystal Valley. They turned it into a functional home by installing running water and electricity. Their property also grew in size to incorporate twenty acres. This was heaven on earth for Barb and George, a true paradise. They joined Crystal Valley United Methodist Church where they became very active members. Barb was a lay leader, teacher, quilter, and frequent volunteer, especially at the pancake suppers. On her eightieth birthday, her family hosted a surprise party in Muskegon. They displayed the twenty-three quilts that she had made for family members. During the winter time they lived in Texas and Arizona where they made many close friends. In her later years, Barb was thrilled to see her family grow with the blessing of grandchildren and great-grandkids. She began to experience health problems which, in 1995, required her to have triple-bypass heart surgery. The operation was a success, and she was soon able to return to her normal lifestyle. In the year 2002, she and George agreed to sell the cabin and return home to Muskegon to be closer to their kids. In October 2005, she was diagnosed with cancer. Although her spirits remained strong, the disease gradually overtook her. Barb was deeply loved by her family and many friends. She touched many hearts throughout her lifetime, and she will be greatly missed and frequently remembered. Barb went to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday, June 15, 2006 at her home surrounded by her loving family. She was born July 7, 1923 to Harry & Eloise (Elliott) Chaney. She leaves behind her husband, George; son, Harry (Julie) Wierenga; daughter, Karen (Roland) Crummel; step-son, John (Cathy) Vanderlaan of Traverse City; step-daughters, Becky (Tom) More of Kentucky and Keri Vanderlaan of California. Also, sisters, June (Jerry) Hackey and Katy Califf; and one brother, Gordon Chaney; sisters-in-law, Cleo Wierenga of Colorado, Dorothy Wierenga of Hart, Mi and Elaine (Joe) Gouin; 6 grand-children, 1 step-grandchild and 11 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her father, mother and step-father, Elmer Califf, and by her first husband, Fred Wierenga. The Service will be held on Monday, June 19, 2006, 1:00 PM at Clock Chapel with Rev. Ron Worley officiating. Interment at Restlawn Cemetery. Please visit with family and friends on Sunday, June 18, 2006, 2-4 & 7-9 PM and Monday, one hour prior to the service at Clock Funeral Home - Muskegon. MEMORIAL: Hackley VNS Hospice or Crystal Valley United Methodist Church. To sign Barb's guestbook or to archive a favorite memory, please visit www.lifestorynet.com.