Patricia Helder ’67 Nordstrom
Patricia Helder Nordstrom of Ponce Inlet, Florida, passed away on August 23, 2021 after a long struggle with respiratory disease.
Pat was born on May 4, 1945 in Holland, Michigan. She was the eldest of a brother, Bill, and later a sister, Mary Anne (Bunce). She attended Lincoln Elementary School, Washington Elementary School, E.E. Fell Junior High School, and graduated from Holland High School in May 1963. She then went on to Hope College, also in Holland, Michigan. She graduated with a B.A. in Language Arts in the teaching field of study.
Her first job out of college was as a fourth grade teacher in Orangeburg, New York in 1967. She was married to Peter D Nordstrom on September 16, 1967. At Christmas time she joined her husband in Berlin, Germany, serving in the army. Their first born, Michael Peter, was born on October 17, 1968. Mother and baby returned to the states at Easter 1969. Their first apartment was on Staten Island, New York. Their second child, Amanda Jane, was born on June 17, 1971.
Shortly after they moved to their first house in Hazlet, N.J. They were very involve with Faith Reformed Church and Campus Crusade For Christ. Lisa Anne, their third child, was born on June 1, 1972. Shortly thereafter they moved back to Holland, Michigan for Peter to enter Western Theological Seminary to begin summer Greek for entrance into the master’s of divinity program. Peter graduated from the seminary in 1976.
After being ordained into the Reformed Church in America he accepted a call to serve a church in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. In 1987 they left Franklin Lakes to serve a church in Bridgewater, N.J. where they served until 1994 when they followed a call to Zellwood, Florida. In 2003 Peter opened a private practice as a psychotherapist in Tavares, Florida. Pat, continued as an elementary school teacher until retirement in 2012. Peter followed in 2013. From there they moved to their dream home on the ocean in Ponce Inlet, Florida. Pat and Peter loved to travel and over the years visited over 30 countries and 47 U.S. states.
Pat is survived by her husband Peter in Ponce Inlet, FL, son, Michael(Kathryn) in Southborough, MA, daughter, Amanda(Jon) in Safety Harbor, FL, and daughter, Lisa(Abed) in Hillsborough, NJ. She and Peter have 5 grandchildren, Alexandra, Trevor, Daniel, Haley, and Hannah.