Pennylyn Dykstra Pruim, age 58, of Grand Rapids, went home to her Lord and Savior on Friday, August 16, 2024, surrounded by her family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gerben and Ruth Dykstra. Penny leaves behind her loving husband, Randy; her children, Andrew (Hannah) Pruim, Nik (Maia) Pruim, Jason Pruim; siblings, Paula (Alan) Rindels; in-laws, Julie (Mike) Fernandes, Brad (Laura) Pruim, Mark (Chriss) Pruim, Jen Pruim; parents-in-law, Jay and Bev Pruim; and many loving nieces, nephews, and friends.

Penny will be remembered and missed for her gracious hospitality and vibrant creativity. She was quick to suggest a comforting cup of tea or to welcome another person at the table. Penny enjoyed the search for the perfect gift or just the right way to say something. She extended her hospitality to welcoming faculty and students to campus, hosting students from Germany and Korea for long-term stays in her home, and supporting the Calvin Interfaith Alliance.

Never wanting to sit idly by, she nearly always had a sketch pad or knitting supplies with her. Penny's hand-knit wool socks and mitties are like Penny herself — cozy, comforting, creative, and amazingly strong. She crafted cherished Christmas letters; a novel for each of her children; countless cards and notes, often adorned with her artwork; numerous short stories, poems, and anecdotes; and four family recipe books, in which she shared both the results of her creativity in the kitchen and delightful stories of the people who ate her cooking. Much of her writing she honed by sharing first with her writers' group, Peregrin .

She combined hospitality and creativity into a passion for teaching German language and culture, first at Brown University and then at Calvin University. She loved crafting lesson plans and teaching materials, including textbooks for German language learners: Auf Geht's (Let's Go!), Weiter Geht's (Keep Going!), and Schreiben Lernen! (Learn to Write!) . For her creative and inspiring teaching, she was awarded the Nelson Brooks Award for Excellence in Teaching Culture by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and the From Every Nation Award for Excellence in Teaching by Calvin University. Penny's workshops for faculty, church groups, and other organizations on everything from prayer doodling to intercultural communication engaged, educated, and energized in equal measure. In recent years she transitioned from the German language classroom to serving as Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion. Her book Understanding Us and Them: Interpersonal Cultural Intelligence for Community Building distills many of her insights in that area. Her podcast, Diversity and Inclusion for All , stands as a legacy to Penny's commitment to welcome and embrace differences as we learn and grow from them.

Penny's family will greet friends and family on Friday, August 23, from 4-7 pm at Zaagman Memorial Chapel (2800 Burton St. SE). A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 24, 11:00 am at Sherman St. CRC (1000 Sherman St. SE) with visiting one hour prior to service. Childcare will be available during the service.

Afterwards, we invite people to remain for a light lunch and to share memories. As we remember and celebrate Penny's life, we encourage you to wear a splash – or dousing – of vibrant color.

If you were unable to attend the celebration of life, please follow this link for a recording of the service and other information: In case you missed it .

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial donation to Sherman Street Church Memorial Fund to help the ministries of The Boehm Family and the Verhulsts.