Catherine "Kate" Boersema

Catherine Boersema was a woman who was filled with a lot of spunk, which she always beautifully intertwined with her generosity and love. She was a nurturer who often set aside her own needs to care for the needs of others, well into her later years. Catherine viewed both her faith and her family as her greatest joys, and her life was a constant reflection of her never ending love and commitment to them both. The decade of the 1920s was a time in which many American families enjoyed a period of sustained prosperity. Peter and Edith (Eighright) Peterson, of Muskegon, Michigan, had additional reason to rejoice; as they were looking forward to the birth of their fourth child. They were indeed blessed on April 30, 1923 with the birth of their healthy baby daughter, Catherine. Kate, as she liked to be called, spent her younger days at home with her mother, while her father supported their family as a carpenter. Tragedy struck early in young Kates life, as her father was killed when she was only seven years old. As a young girl, Kate was quite a tomboy, even enjoying hunting. She fondly remembered a time when she was growing up that repeated gun shots could be heard near her home; it was Kate, chasing after a deer she was trying to shoot! Her life took a pleasant turn when she met and later married a young man named John Boersema, on December 3, 1940, at the Lakewood Mission Church. The couple was later blessed with the births of four children: Nettie, John, Louis Arthur, and Raymond Ray. All of her boys were large babies at birth and as they grew, they continued to be large in stature, which they were sometimes able to use to their advantage, except where their mother was concerned! While her children were at school they refused to eat there, so Kate took matters into her own hands; she helped launch the hot lunch program at their school. Kate was known for her strong voice; she could be heard calling her children home from over 1 mile away. There was even a time that she won the Womens Calling Contest! Her boys also kept Kate busy with the frequency at which they seemed to go through cars. At one time, they had a 1954 Ford which had door latches that didnt seem to latch very well, which gave her son John quite a wild ride one particular evening. While he was driving with some friends, he crossed some railroad tracks and found himself outside on the tracks, as the door had given way. He chased after the car and ended up coming home a bit banged up. Upon telling his mom what happened, she said John I told you not to wear your new pants! As a young woman she was also quite a tomboy, even enjoying hunting with her boys, who fondly remember a time when while hunting with mom, they heard repeated gun shots moving through the woods. It was Kate chasing after a deer she was trying to shoot! In addition to raising her children, Kate also worked as a pastry chef for Drelless, a popular, local Greek restaurant. Later in her life, she worked for 20 years doing wax injections at Howmet. After Kate and her husband John retired, they bought a motor home and traveled numerous places in our gorgeous country, often joined by their sons and their families. Some of their favorite memories were made at Taquamenon Falls, Yellowstone National Park, and in Canada. Kate was a woman of faith and her life reflected this faith in various ways. Church played a vital role in Kates life; she was baptized in 1984 at the Bible Baptist Church in Montague and in 1999, she returned to the Fruitland Evangelical Covenant Church. Kate had a true servants heart and she gained much fulfillment when she was nurturing others. She embraced her role as a grandmother; she generously helped her grandchildren in any way that she could. Kate was an excellent cook who loved to host family gatherings where she poured herself into the meals she affectionately prepared. Kate was a caretaker for the elderly until she herself was 82. It seemed as though the care she provided for others, positively affected her health as well, as her own health began to decline when she was no longer able to fulfill this role. Life was not without its difficulties for Kate, however, as her beloved husband John died of lung cancer. Kate also developed breast cancer, but she fought the disease head on, which enabled her to become a survivor! She then also lost her daughter Nettie and her son Louis, both died in their fifties of cancer. This left Kate to find strength in her faith, and the love of her family. Later she also found companionship in her dog Mitzi, who accompanied Kate everywhere. These difficulties, however, did not dampen Kates spirits; she remained positive and maintained her joyful, contented outlook on life. She even poked fun at herself, calling herself the last fool born in April, in reference to her April 30th birthday. Kate took her arthritis in stride as well, playfully referring to it as Arthur Itis. As life began to take a toll on Kates health at the age of 82, she moved in with her son Ray, allowing he and his wife Sheila to lovingly care for the one who spent her lifetime caring for others. Catherine was a strong woman who balanced that strength flawlessly with kindness and love. She carried herself with grace and dignity, even when life was not easy for her. Catherine inspired those around her through her sacrificial and compassionate spirit. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Catherine S. Boersema of Muskegon, MI, died on Thursday, December 4, 2008. Catherines family includes her sons: John Boersema, and Raymond (Sheila) Boersema, both of Muskegon; 9 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great- grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her grandchild, "Timmy. Funeral services will be held on Monday, December 8, 2008, 11:00 a.m. at Fruitland Evangelical Covenant Church with Rev. Brian Kyle officiating. Visit with Catherines family and friends on Monday, 1 hour prior to the service, and all are invited to a luncheon with the family following the service. Please visit Catherines memory page at www.lifestorynet.com to leave a memory, sign the online guest book, or make memorial contribution to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure cancer fund, or the Fruitland Evangelical Covenant Church Building Fund.