Eileen VanderMolen

Eileen VanderMolen of Portage, passed away suddenly at Bronson Hospital on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. She was born October 8, 1933 to George “Harry” and Eileen (Dunleavy) Butrick. A lifelong resident of Kalamazoo county, Eileen graduated from St. Augustine Cathedral High School and worked for a short time at the Bell Telephone Company. After moving to the Richland area to raise a family Eileen became active in the Gull Lake Schools PTA and was also a Girl Scout troop leader for many years. Eileen was a founding member of the Richland library and was instrumental in bringing the first Bookmobile to the Richland area. Re-entering the workforce after her children were grown Eileen worked her way up the secretarial chain at Borgess Hospital and was very proud to ultimately be appointed Executive Secretary to the Vice President of the newly founded Neuro Rehab unit. Following her retirement from Borgess, Eileen continued to feed her lifelong passion for books and worked several more years part-time at the Portage library, where she designed and implemented a home bound lending program for area seniors. Reading, playing solitaire games on her phone, and most of all feeding and caring for stray animals and wildlife kept Eileen active and busy right up until her last days. Eileen will always be remembered by her family, neighbors, and friends as the sweetest woman, with a sharp mind, a cheerful word for everyone, and a giant heart for animals. Members of her family include her three daughters: Nancy (Mark) Krempa, Barbara VanderMolen, and Carol (Robert) Warner; and 2 grandchildren: Jessica and Steven Krempa. A graveside service will take place on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at Portage Central Cemetery. Visit Eileen's webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com to archive favorite memories, photos, and sign her guestbook. Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900.