In Loving Memory

Betty Van Kalker

1937 – 2020

Betty (Sikkema) Van Kalker passed peacefully from this life to the next the morning on May 7, 2020.  She now resides with her Lord and Savior for whom she was a faithful servant her entire life.

Betty grew up on a small family farm in McBain, MI where she and her four sisters worked hard both in the field and in the house.  Her Mother and Father were very supportive of education and Betty began reading at a young age and she never stopped.  Betty loved school but, during her one-mile walk to class in the snow each day, she began to think that cold weather may not be for her.  That realization and her love of books set the stage for the rest of her life.

Betty moved to Grand Rapids, MI to attend Calvin College.  She earned her degree in Education and promptly moved to Florida and warmer weather.  She began her career in Lake Worth, Florida working as a Teacher at Lake Worth Christian School.  Betty also began attending Lake Worth Christian Reformed Church (now Sunlight Community Church).  Here, she was introduced to Ted Van Kalker by friends.  Soon Ted and Betty were married and started a family.  Later, Betty continued her education receiving her master's degree in Library Science and returned to work as a Librarian at Lake Worth Christian School.  She was also the Librarian at her church where she was very active.

Betty was a wonderful Mom and loved to travel.  During long trips, she would read endlessly to her children as they drove to their destination.  After her kids left home, Ted and Betty made numerous trips together or with family or friends.  Betty thoroughly enjoyed her grandchildren and supported their education and sports activities throughout their school career.  She was so proud of the adults they had become.  Betty loved books, family, cats, her church and traditional hymns.  She strongly disliked cold weather, loud music and cottage cheese.  She was an accomplished baker and excelled at making Banket and Oliebollen (Dutch pasties).

Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Theodore "Ted" Van Kalker and her sisters Jenette Sikkema and Henrietta Lutke.  She is survived by her children, Jeff T Van Kalker (Kimberly) and Nancy Lynn Bom (David); grandchildren Jessica Susan Van Kalker, Sara Katherine Van Kalker, Emily Bom, and Joshua Bom; and great grandchildren Caroline Margaret Jones & Savannah Grace Jones; and two sisters, Hermina Boogman and Lucille Born

We have no doubt that our beloved Mother, Grandmother, and Great Grandmother now resides in heaven, where she holds her hands over her ears until the band or choir is done singing and the sermon starts.  We will all miss her dearly.

A celebration of Betty's life will be held at Sunlight Community Church, Lake Worth, FL on May 18, 2020.  Visitation / viewing will be from 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM.  A service of remembrance will be held at 11:30 AM.  Interment (for family only) will be at South Florida National Cemetery where she will be buried with her husband.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to either Sunlight Community Church ( http://sunlightlakeworth.com/ ) or Trustbridge Hospice  ( https://www.trustbridge.com/ ).