Lavina “Daisy” Hoogeveen ’52
Lavina “Daisy” Carolyn Hoogeveen passed peacefully into the presence of her Lord on May 24, 2024. She was born to John and Carolyn Bolt Hoogeveen on October 25, 1930, and was the third of nine children.
Daisy attended Grand Rapids Public Schools through the eighth grade, graduated from Southwest Christian Middle School (‘42) and Christian High (’48). Her college education began at Calvin College and culminated in 1952 when she graduated from Hope College in Holland, MI with teaching credentials.
Daisy’s first teaching job was a two-year stint at Freeport High School, after which she was commissioned as a missionary of the Reformed Church in America and posted to the Arabian Gulf. She spent six years in Bahrain, Basra (Iraq), where she was the principal of an elementary girls’ school, and Kuwait where she was the director of Christian Education.
She received her master’s degree from WMU in 1961, taught high school in Dumont, New Jersey, and Holland Christian, and then moved to Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia to teach with ARAMCO. She then traveled the Pacific for six months, stopping at all the RCA mission stations. She next taught at South High School in Grand Rapids before joining DODDS (Department of Defense Dependents’ Schools) and was a counselor in Tripoli, Libya; Okinawa, Yokohama, and Sagamihara, Japan; South Korea; and Germany for a total of 26 years.
She traveled to 83 countries on six continents and, in her retirement years, went to the United Arab Republic and Russia with Youth for Christ. The months of January through April were spent alternately in Florida, South Africa, Zambia, Brazil, and Trinidad and Tobago for extended mission work under the RCA and Crossworld.
She is survived by her brother-in-law, David Ebels; sisters-in-law Carol Hoogeveen, and Dorothy VanderTil; and many nephews and nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces, cousins, friends and good neighbors Kathy Weimer and Shayla Loew, Terry and Lis Grooters and Cherie Grooters. She was predeceased by her parents; brothers William, Henry, Ken, John and Donald; sisters Pat Deemter, Esther Timmer, and Marilyn Ebels; brothers-in-law John Timmer and Rich Deemter; sisters-in-law Arlene and Phyllis; nieces Carla Deemter and Michelle Hoogeveen; nephews David, William, Brian and Mark Hoogeveen, Craig Deemter, Steven Timmer; and great-nephews Marine Cpl. Ross Smith (Iraq) and Sye Moon Hoogeveen.
Daisy was a lifelong member of Eighth Reformed Church where she taught the Adult Sunday school class for many years. She visited members and former members of Eighth Reformed Church at Sunset Village for more than 29 years and was a correspondent with over 70 active RCA missionaries and 83 former RCA missionaries to the Arab world. She corresponded with 53 high school friends and 60 Hope-ites. She supported the Grandville Post Office and PakMail and had a list of over 400 email contacts. She couldn’t sing but sponsored nine hymn sings.
Daisy cherished her independence and was an avid reader, Scrabble player, and Hope College enthusiast. She couldn’t cook and was 76 before someone asked for a recipe. Daisy touched the lives of many people with her compassion, faithfulness, and her love of the Lord. Though she didn’t have children of her own, her guidance left an indelible mark on those she mentored. Daisy was dedicated to relationships and embraced life, spoke truth, laughed and loved people, poetry, and the Psalms.
Daisy has been cremated and the memorial service will be held at Eighth Reformed Church (814 Burton St. SW, Wyoming, MI 49509) at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 22, 2024, with Rev. Harry Koops officiating. After the funeral service, a light luncheon will be served for friends and family to gather and share memories in honor of Daisy. Your presence and support are greatly appreciated during this time of remembrance. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Missionary Fund at Eighth Reformed Church.