Martina VanLoo

From a war-torn childhood in Austria to a stylish, determined matriarch who built a successful life in America, Martina VanLoo’s extraordinary life was filled with resilience, adventure, elegance, and unforgettable stories. Martina enjoyed adventuring to her favorite places where she could search for antique treasures or enjoy a bit of gambling, as well as talking with her daughters every day. An unforgettable woman, Martina will long inspire those who knew her best to live life to the fullest.

Born in South Tyrol, Austria, on May 29, 1931, Martina grew up during a time of tremendous challenge and heartache, with a difficult childhood marked by many ups and downs. As WWII enveloped the land around her, the family had a bomb shelter in the home. Martina was also forced to wear the German Swastika armband to school, something that affected her greatly in her early years.

The boys always thought she was attractive, and she enjoyed a few great loves. During Martina’s first marriage, they lived with two other families, her uncle, and her grandma. That made for a lot of people sharing a very small space, and they didn’t even have a bathroom. Life was not without humor though. Once, while Martina was cooking dinner, the chicken fell off the counter into the chamber pot. She never told her husband, and he was the only one who ate dinner that night!

After meeting an American G.I., Martina moved to America, where she accessed a more middle-class lifestyle. In time, she finally met James VanLoo at a dance. The pair began dating, fell in love, and married, officially starting their 38-year journey together.

The couple and Martina’s daughters made their home in a house on Vine Street in Kalamazoo. James worked as a janitor for Upjohn, and Martina worked as a housekeeper for many years, cooking and cleaning for several prominent families. A fabulous cook, Martina made fantastic dinners for her clients’ families. Her goulash, creamed spinach, schnitzel, and bread pudding were unrivaled. On the weekends, Martinia’s kids would play with her employers’ kids, giving them a taste of a different lifestyle. Very strict in raising her daughters, Martina was right, even when she wasn’t. She liked her dogs and was known to bring home creatures like snakes and toads she bought at the store, which her kids had to take care of and not always enthusiastically.

Eventually, Martina and James started a janitorial service together. Their many connections proved helpful in building the business and gaining commercial contracts. With hard work and dedication, the company became very successful, enabling the couple to pay cash for their new home and cars from then on.

Martina enjoyed many passions, including traveling to Europe, fine furs, and jewelry. She was happy to return to Austria and stay with relatives or in a quaint hotel in recent years. Always well dressed, Martina looked her best. She was very beautiful and liked nice things, especially her mink coat. She earnestly followed the latest Hollywood trends to ensure she was dressing according to the latest styles and fashions.

Though she didn’t like driving on the expressway, Martina enjoyed antiquing and always took the backroads to find the best places to shop. She attended auctions and estate sales, and liked finding lovely dolls and jewelry, keeping the best finds, and selling the others on consignment downtown Kalamazoo. Then, she discovered Four Winds Casino in Hartford. That was a game changer! She loved that she could drive the backroads to get there and, more often than not, stayed too late. Resistant to technology, Martina didn’t even turn on the radio in her car, but she liked nice things and enjoyed driving a fabulous new car, but refused to use any of its electronic features. Despite her daughters buying her the simplest cell phones even, she’d never use them.

As we celebrate Martina’s life, may we find comfort in our many treasured memories. May we also find comfort in the honor of carrying her legacy forward. In each moment we wear a stylish outfit, make one of Martina’s recipes, take the back roads to a favorite destination, go to the casino, shop for a treasure, or confidently face life’s challenges, we keep Martina’s memory alive and inspiring others as she so inspired each of us.

Martina VanLoo, of Kalamazoo, age 94, died December 9, 2025. She is preceded in death by her husband, James VanLoo, and sister, Hilda Keller. Surviving are his daughters, Margaret Diamond and Elizabeth Coolidge; grandchildren, Tamara Diamond, Desiree (Scott) Bouters, Isolde (Richard) Dulay, and Justin Coolidge; and great-grandkids, Dylon Bouters and Tyler Bouters. Celebrate Martina’s life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on her dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kalamazoo Humane Society. Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900.