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Barbara Jane VanWestrienen
Barbara Jane VanWestrienen, 86, of Kalamazoo, passed away Friday, November 1, 2024, at Seminole Shores Assisted Living Center in Muskegon. She was born November 21, 1937, in East Liverpool, Ohio, the daughter of Robert Marsh and Betty Jane (Cunningham) Chapman.
Barb loved helping others, and her career in home economics helped her share that by using her gifts and talents. She loved to knit, making special Christmas stockings for family and friends. Her love of quilting started when she needed to teach her high school students how to plan and sew them. She was a member of a Quilter’s Circle upon retirement, and made many beautiful quilts, especially Christmas and Kappa Phi pink rose quilts. As an excellent seamstress, she often made her own clothes, and it was a frequent sight to see her sewing the finishing touches on a new dress for an important occasion in the wee hours of the night just before the event. A lifetime Christian, Barb lived out her faithfulness by incorporating daily devotions and reading of her Bible.
Barb graduated from Hart High School in 1955. She next attended Western Michigan University, studying home economics and graduating in 1961. She had been teaching in Baldwin for 2 ½ years before she had actually earned her degree.
Barbara was a life-long educator who was in the classroom for 42 ½ years and continued teaching many lessons until her death. She positively impacted thousands of young minds teaching home economics, sex education, and family living courses at Baldwin Jr./Sr. High School, Beach Jr. High School (Fruitport), and Mattawan High School. One of her favorite memories of her Mattawan days was teaching classes in life management for all students, especially the section just for boys.
While working on her master’s degree at Western Michigan University, Barb became a graduate assistant for the Home Economic Department and ran the Home Economics House on campus. Her keen ability to relate to students of all ages using her common sense approach to life made her a popular teacher and confidante throughout her lifetime in education and beyond.
Barb joined the Kappa Phi Club, an organization for university Christian women, in 1955 while a student at Western Michigan College (which became Western Michigan University in 1957). In this lifelong sisterhood devoted to service, study, and worship, Barb served first as a patroness and then as the sponsor for Alpha Pi Chapter at WMU for eight years. She went on to serve on the National Development Committee, was national program director, and was then honored to be selected as the National Associate Sponsor. She served as the Grand National Sponsor of Kappa Phi from 1983 – 1991. Having reached the highest honor in the organization, Barb answered the call to serve Alpha Pi’s need again to be rechartered in 2007, working with her dear friend, Bobbie Rex as co-sponsors. Women from across the country were instinctively drawn to Barb’s caring nature, her practical advice, and her witty sayings. Fostering loving personal relationships through her strong faith in God was key to her very being, and it was the reason she was named the Kappa Phi Sweetheart in 1977. Everyone loved Barb Van!
Barbara married the love of her life, Paul K. VanWestrienen on May 14, 1966, and he preceded her in death on October 26, 2018. She was also preceded in death by her parents Robert M. and Betty J. Chapman; her in-laws, Henry and Leone VanWestrienen; brother-in-law, John VanWestrienen, and John’s son, Tommy.
Barbara is survived by her sister, Robin Chapman; brother and sister-in-law, Robert (Bob) and Sharon Chapman, their son Steven Chapman (Patti), and grandson Dillon (Grace) Chapman and great-granddaughter, Aurora, their daughter Lynn Hogan (Bill), and grandchildren Ben, Arin, and Thomas Hogan; brother-in-law James H. VanWestrienen and his daughter, Kathy and Steve McClouskey, and grandson, Nathaniel; sister-in-law Janice (John) VanWestrienen and family, Jayne and Derek Wirebaugh and their family Wilson (Bria), Payton, Abigail, and Gabriel; James and Danae VanWestrienen and family Issac, Audrey, Asher, and Elliot.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m., Saturday, November 9, 2024, at the Central United Methodist Church, 1011 Second Street, Muskegon, with a luncheon to follow. Interment will be in Hart Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to: Wesley Foundation of Kalamazoo, Kappa Phi, or Alzheimer’s Association.
Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, King-Hart Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.
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