Ruth Brinkman ’52 Lenderink

Mrs. Ruth Lenderink, age 90, of Orange City, passed away on Thursday, July 4, 2019, at the Orange City Area Health System.

Ruth Leone was born on January 28, 1929, at home in Matlock, the daughter of Gerrit and Ruth (Kreulen) Brinkman. She was raised at Matlock, where she attended the elementary school. She graduated from the Sheldon High School in 1946 and then attended the Sheldon Junior College. In 1951, she graduated from Hope College in Holland, Michigan.

On August 20, 1952, she married Donald Roger Lenderink in Matlock. After he graduated from the Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan, in 1954, they lived in Ridgewood, New Jersey, while Don was serving as a chaplain in the United States Navy. Beginning in 1958, they served Reformed churches in Little Falls, New Jersey, Orange City (Trinity for nearly 24 years), and Brooklyn, Ohio.

In 2002, they returned to Orange City, where in 2015, they became residents of the Landsmeer Ridge Retirement Community. Mrs. Lenderink was a member of the Trinity Reformed Church. She loved and cherished her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, spending many hours teaching them about Jesus, playing games, reading books, telling stories, and attending their ball games, recitals, concerts, and performances of all kinds. Ruth was a faithful supporter of Northwestern College in Orange City and an ardent Red Raider fan, who attended just about every one of their events on the calendar. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends: biking, fishing, golfing, playing cards, traveling, walking, and just plain visiting. At various times in her life, she also sewed (for necessity) and enjoyed candle-wicking, furniture refinishing, and knitting.

Survivors include her husband of more than 66 years; three daughters, Lynne and John Hubers, of Orange City, and their children, Jennifer and Todd Lavery, and Adam Hubers; Judy Clausen, of Albert City, and her children, Nancy and Chris Brown, Kathy Parker, and Joel Clausen; and Mary Beth and Jerry Reuvers, of Orange City, and their daughters, Amy and Aaron Koob, and Jill and Seth Vander Weide; a son, Brian and Dyan Lenderink, of Sheldon, and their children, Brandon and Valerie Lenderink, and Bethany Lenderink; eleven great-grandchildren; a brother-in-law, Ed Copper; and nephews and nieces. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a son-in-law, David Clausen; four brothers and their wives, Lloyd Brinkman (Lorraine and Jeanette), Elmer Brinkman (killed in action in World War II), Gerald Brinkman (Jeannette), and her twin, Ronald Brinkman (Donna); Don’s parents, Arend K. and Wilhelmina Lenderink; and Don’s sister, Virginia Eldred Cooper (Rev. Walter Eldred).