Margaretha "Margaret" Cornelia Geertruida Bouma (Loos), age 99, was joyfully greeted in heaven by her Lord and Savior on August 15, 2022. Waiting for her was her husband of 66 years, Gerard.

Born in Rotterdam on May 7, 1923, Margaret lived through the WW2 bombing of Rotterdam and the Hunger Winter. She attended the Free University in Amsterdam to study law. At a youth conference she met the love of her life Gerard, and after a 7 year engagement while he completed seminary at Kampen they were married and started their ministry together. They first served a small church in Capelle a/d Ijssel, close to Rotterdam, where their first daughter Micky was born. Gerard had a passion to help Dutch immigrants to Canada settle in their new country so in 1952 they accepted the call to serve the Christian Reformed Church in Essex, Ontario, and worked tirelessly together to help new immigrants. Here their sons Martin and Keith were born. In 1958 they moved to London, Ont.  where daughter Joanne was born. In 1972 they moved to Grand Rapids, MI to serve the East Paris Christian Reformed Church, and they retired in 1985. In retirement they enjoyed traveling all over Europe, and also served a number of short-term ministries in Canada and the USA.

Mom was an artist, starting with pencil and charcoal sketches as a teen, and after moving to Grand Rapids she took lessons with Jeanne Rocket in oil painting and later water colors. She was a member of the Grand Valley Artist Club, showed and sold her paintings at many events, did many commissioned paintings, and made hundreds of hand painted cards; anyone who bought or received one from her framed it. Mom was also a musician and played violin and piano. She was president of various Ladies Aid societies, part of the Calvin Women's Guild. She was always game to try anything; she learned recorder and a homemade dulcimer, nurtured every animal her children dragged home, played any game, hiked through any woods, learned how to snow ski, tried any recipe -and still talked about wanting to try out a new one, sewed all of her kids clothes, planted gardens into her 80's (even having a greenhouse in the basement for African Violets). At 90 she kayaked and rode a paddleboard on Gun Lake.

Most important to Mom was her love for the Lord and her desire that her children, grands, and great grands would love the Lord also. As long as she was able, she got on her knees and prayed for them all every day. Her deep and abiding faith and her love for the Church is a real testament for her family to carry on.

Mom was preceded in death by her husband Gerard in 2017, parents Martinus and Willemina Loos (VanderHoeven), her brother Martien as a POW in Indonesia. She is survived by her children; Micky and Tom Jelsema (Middleville MI), Martin and Brian Bouma-Quinn (Ann Arbor, MI), Keith and Laura Bouma    (Denver), Joanne Bouma (Calgary),  10 grandchildren: Tim and Natalie, Derek and Megan, Jared and Melanie, Casey and Amanda Jelsema, Thomas, Leah Bouma-Quinn, Amy and Nate Segreto, Katie and Matt Hayes, Emily (fiancee Thomas), Laura Bouma, and 12 greats- Austin, Sydney, Dylan, Stella, Ellery, Kegan, Myla, Boyd, Lucas, Cole, Henry, Alex; also Brenda Bouma.

The family wants to thank Carveth Village for their amazing love and care of Mom since she moved there a year ago. A celebration of Mom's life will be held on Friday, Aug 19, at 11 AM at the Zaagman Memorial Chapel, 2800 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546, with visitation 1 hour prior to the service.  Interment Pine Hill Cemetery.

In her memory, a contribution to Dutton Christian School or South Christian would honor Dad and Mom's love and support for Christian education.

By the sea of crystal, saints in glory stand, singing "Unto God Almighty sitting on the throne, and the Lamb victorious be the praise alone." (Hymn arrangement composed by her uncle John VanderHoven)