Bertha Lynema, age 98, of Martin, died Sunday, April 15.
She was born March 2, 1920 in Chicago, the 13th child of Henry and Jennie Teninga’s 15 children. Bertha was named after her oldest sister, who was struck by lightning is 1914.
Bertha’s father worked at the Plano factory, which later became known as International Harvester. They moved to Michigan in December 1921 when her father answered an ad in the newspaper to work for the Michigan Land Company. They lived in Bravo, MI, Shelbyville and Chicago for the next few years.
Her father eventually purchased a farm in Hopkins, which Bertha called “The 40”. They settled there where her father was a muck farmer until his death in 1945.
Bertha graduated from eighth grade at Dunwell School in Hopkins.
She worked as a nanny for Gene and Alice Vis, Plainwell, helping raise their three children, until she married. Bertha named her first daughter Carol, after Vis’ daughter.
She married Cornelius Lynema at Dorr Christian Reformed Church, Aug. 29, 1940, in Dorr. Her parents were married on the same date 40 years earlier.
The couple’s house in Martin was completed about 1954, and by then she had five children, Robert, Carol, Marilyn, Larry and Leslie. Bertha had a brother living on one side of her home and her mother and another brother on the other side, once again surrounded by family. Two years later her youngest child, Darlene, was born.
She earned her GED in 1965 to begin work at Gibson Guitar in Kalamazoo and retired in 1980. Neal and Bertha spent several winters in Florida, as Neal became more ill they sold their Florida mobile home. Bertha cared for him until his death in 1986.
Bertha did volunteer work for Pipp Hospital, was on a bowling league and loved garage saleing.
Her love in life was her grandchildren.
Bertha is survived by her children: Robert (Betty), Carol (Edward) Haveman, Marilyn (Paul) DeYoung, Larry, Leslie (Rena), Darlene (Phillip) Morrison; grandchildren Bobbi Jo (John) Huizenga, Dale (Brenda), Lauren (Tim) Vander Laan, Janice and Steve Huyser, Randy (Kris), Tamra (Jon) Pavlak, Michelle (Jamey) Nichols, Cheryl DeYoung, Keri (Stephen) Powers, Sarah Lynema, Benjamin Lynema, Amy (Ben) Forsman, Jill (Aaron) Pollack, Joan (James) Amos, Mary (Michael) St. Louis, Matthew Lynema, Michael Lynema, Thomas (Sara) Lynema; great grandchildren Nicholas, Jacob, Elizabeth and Catherine Huizenga, Patrick, Logan and Emma Lynema, Gavin, Riley and Thaddeus Vander Laan, Megan and Jessica Haveman, Kaylee and Ryan Haveman, Jeremiah (Mykel), Mitchel (Kaitlyn) and Nicole Pavlak, Gabriel, Samantha and Mitchell Nichols, Jeremy Powers, Noah, Abigail and Owen Forsman, Leah and Clara Pollack, Penelope and Evelyn Amos, Arjen St. Louis, Nathaniel, Andrew and Joshua Lynema, Reid and Sidney Lynema; great great grandchildren Emry, Levi and Abel Pavlak and Raven Pavlak; sisters in law Esther Schaafsma and Betty Earle, plus more than 1500 hundred nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents Henry and Jennie; husband Cornelius; granddaughter Gail Lynema and grandson Wayne Haveman; brothers and sisters, Bertha Tuinstra #1, Geroge (Jennie), Peter (Lucille), Grace (Henry) Boss, the twins Lilly (Herman) Lodenstein and Fred (Jennie), Wiebe #1, Wiebe #2 (Clazina), Reka (Raymond) Medendorp,Henry Bert (Dorothy), Bert Richard, Boe (Rensena), Richard (Hester), Hilbert (Mildred); father and mother in law Gerrit (Abbie) Lynema; brothers in law and sisters in law Johanna (Bert) Meyaard, Jacob (Grace) Lynema, Albert (Dorcia) Lynema, Dorothy (Henry) Tuinstra, John (Bertha) Lynema, Lewis Schaafsma, Garrit Lynema, Roland Earle and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation was Thursday afternoon and evening at East Martin Christian Reformed Church, 1782 5th St. Martin. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday, April 20, at East Martin Christian Reformed Church. The family will hold visitation one hour prior to the service. Interment after lunch at East Martin Cemetery.
