Grace (Vogelzang) Vanderveen

Grace (Geeske) VanderVeen, 77, died peacefully on Tuesday Dec. 22nd amidst the love and prayers of her family ending her long & valiant battle with Parkinson's.  Grace was born in Marum, Groningen of the Netherlands as the 3rd daughter of Roelf &Hinke Vogelzang on August 10, 1937.  Her parents went on to have 8 more children who all lived in their tiny house with very few amenities. This allowed Grace to learn the importance of sacrifice, thriftiness, and hard work at a very early age.  She was married to her beloved partner in life for 56 years, Seymour (Seiko) VanderVeen, on December 16, 1957.  Less than 2 months later they both left their families behind to immigrate to the U.S. in order to begin realizing their dream of someday owning their own dairy farm.  They landed in Sussex, N.J. to work for a sponsoring farmer but within a few years were able to rent a small farm in nearby Port Jervis.  Grace's four sons were all born within those first 8 years together, but then the big dream finally came true in May of 1967 when she and Seymour moved to their current farm's location on Sheldon Rd in the township of Duanesburg.  Although she had no formal education, Grace was deserving of numerous Master's degree in the fields of homemaking & farm management.  She lived to support her husband and care for her family, while ensuring that any & all work needed for the farm's success would get done.  Her dedication and perseverance to finish the job at hand was unmatched, and though her occupation may be listed as a homemaker, she provided the labor of at least two-full time farmhands on top of all her housework.
Although Grace was never involved in community organizations or social clubs, she had a heart for hospitality.  Nothing made her happier than to know that her children were safe and secure and there was a good hearty meal on the table for them to share.  Her simple faith was the bedrock beneath every labor of love and her attitude toward life.  She remained a member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Duanesburg and became an ardent supporter of Christian education for her children & grandchildren.
She is survived by husband, Seymour, and 9 of her siblings who all still live in the Netherlands, as well as her beloved children, sons Frank (Deedee), Robert (Faith), Reese (Yvonne), and daughters Heidie (Jeremy) Armao, and Patricia (Charlie) Tangen, as well as 24 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren.  She is predeceased by her eldest sister, and her 3rd son, Cornelis (Nancy) VanderVeen.
Her memorial service will be held at the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Duanesburg on Rte 20 this Saturday Dec. 27th at 11am.
In lieu of flowers or other gifts, please consider making a donation to Faith Bible Academy, 106 Crosby Rd., Sprakers, N.Y. 12166

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