Gertrude Visser passed away peacefully surrounded by family on February 1, 2025. Her children Tim and Sue, Steve and Kim, and Jane and Bob share a vision of mom being greeted by her husband Bob and son Dan as she enters heaven. They escort her to the room that Christ has prepared for her. Here she finds a kitchen where she again gets to do what gave her greatest joy- prepare meals and host the people she loves. As she sits down with Bob and Dan, her brothers Harold and Sy join them followed by her parents, relatives, and friends. As she demonstrated so many times, she is not flustered by more visitors at her table. There was always room and plenty of food for everyone. We hope they remember that there are rolls in the oven.

As mom sits at the table, she can share in the stories of growing up on the farm in Peoria, Iowa, moving on to a couple of years at Calvin College in preparation of teaching kindergarten in Peoria, meeting Bob (Earl), pouring her energy into raising a family, times spent at their home on Lake Michigan, playing bridge, enjoying tennis, and traveling to a variety of places around the world. She will engage them in discussions about passions involving Christian education, Calvin University/Seminary, and her church families at Burton Heights and Woodlawn Christian Reformed Churches. All the time, coffee will be available and a dessert will be served.

There are many of us who look forward to the day when we can join her table. These include her sister Joyce whose weekly phone calls fed her soul, her nine grand daughters that were the spice of any meal, her thirteen great grandchildren who sweetened our gatherings, and a myriad of nieces and nephews that honored her with invitations to their weddings and the weddings of their children. There will be plenty of room for her bridge club members, her book club members, church members, Raybrook Home community, and those who attended Bible study with her. You all meant so much to her and the three of us thank you for what you brought to mom's table. We especially want to thank the Visiting Angels, the Hospice Care Personnel, and the friends who helped us ease her transition from her earthly home to her heavenly home over the past few months.

A couple of months ago, we asked mom how she wanted us to celebrate her life. She was quite adamant that there were to be no eulogies extolling her virtues; instead, she wanted people to come together and sing the hymns she loved. Her final planned earthly "meal" for us celebrates that heaven and earth come together as we will enjoy "...a foretaste of glory divine." This service will be held at 11:00 on February 15, 2025 at Calvin University chapel with lunch to follow at the Woodlawn CRC Ministry Center. Family will plan to stay at the ministry center for a time for fellowship from 1-4. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make donations to Woodlawn CRC.