Nina Wykstra

Nina Wykstra was a compassionate woman who gave continuously to her family throughout her lifetime. She lived a quiet but content life, secure in her role and free from want. An honest and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend, Nina's life was not marked by glitz or glamor, but instead by a stable and fulfilled commitment to the true bounties of life - family and close friends.

Martin, Michigan, in 1929, was a small agricultural community, much the same as it is today. It was here that Harold and Isoline (Wilcox) Lober made their home and raised their children. 1929 often brings thoughts of the Great Depression and it was a struggle for Harold and Isoline to provide for their growing family. Fortunately, they had a farm and Harold also worked in the paper mill. With six children and expecting a seventh, Isoline had her hands full taking care of the home and helping on the farm. On April 27, 1929, Isoline gave birth to a beautiful baby girl they named Nina Belle. When the family was finally complete, Nina found herself surrounded by brothers Floyd, Harold, Raymond and Jack and sisters Helen, Louise, Pauline, Vonnie and Betty.

Nina considered her childhood pretty uneventful. She always had someone to play with and when not playing, she was expected to help with chores on the farm. One of her least favorite chores was milking the cows. There were no milking machines in those days and everything was done by hand. It was hard work, but it wasn't the work that Nina minded - it was the smell left on her hands after the milking was done. She hated the cow smell!

Martin was small enough that Nina and her siblings could walk to school, attending Martin Elementary and Martin High School. A quiet and somewhat shy girl, Nina was more concerned with academics than social events and graduated in 1946, at the age of 17. Right after graduation, Nina left the farm and went to live with her sister Helen and her husband, George Frost. The Frosts' owned a beauty school and Nina became one of their students, graduating as a licensed beautician/hairstylist. While living with her sister, she became especially close to her two nieces, Charlene and Delores, a special relationship that continued all through their lives.

One day, a schoolmate of Nina's, Violet Wykstra, decided Nina should meet her brother, Chuck. Chuck had just been discharged from the military, having served in the Army-Air Corp. He was five years older than Nina but that was not a problem. Two years after graduating from high school, Nina and Chuck were married at the Kalamazoo County Courthouse and set up housekeeping in an apartment in Kalamazoo. Chuck had found a job with the Kalamazoo Stove Company. The young couple moved several times over the next few years and finally settled in a home at 312 Schuring Rd. in Portage. This is where Chuck and Nina would raise their growing family. In 1953 she and Chuck were blessed with the birth of their first daughter, Marcia. They were again blessed when Diane was born in 1955. Chuck was now an accountant with the Allied Paper Company, so Nina was able to devote her time to her children.

Material things were not important to Nina. Having grown up in the Depression, she knew how to stretch her money and make things last. Her priorities were set and very straightforward. Family came first and that was it. Period. As the girls grew, Nina became a friend as well as a mother. She was always very supportive of her daughters, and as they grew into adults, never judged their choices in life. She was a good listener, nothing ever fazed her and she supported Diane and Marcia through all the phases of their lives.

When grandchildren came along, Nina was overjoyed. She loved her four precious grandchildren and made no bones about spoiling them. She loved to join them in a board game or a rousing game of cards. Auctions and garage sales were occasions for hunting bargains for the grandkids. If one of them got sick, Grandma was there to baby-sit so that Mom could go to work.

Holidays were special family times, but Nina loved Christmas the most. She especially remembered her first Christmas as a new wife. Chuck brought home a beautiful Christmas tree, decorated with beautiful new ornaments that he had picked out himself while Nina was at work. It was an act of love that she always remembered. As the years went by, Nina's joy at Christmas had nothing to do with gifts - it was the joy brought by having her family all together.

Nina was a creative woman and taught her daughters how to sew. She had a wonderful green thumb and her flower gardens filled with pansies and violets were just beautiful. Nina enjoyed canning fruit, tomatoes, made chili sauce and picked blueberries, strawberries and peaches. Her family loved her sweet home-made pickles.

Tragedy struck in 1978 when Nina's beloved Chuck passed away. Although she was only 49 years old, Nina never had thoughts of dating or remarrying. Chuck was, and always would be, her one and only love.

But Nina continued on with her life after Chucks' death. She worked for Portage Public Schools in Food Service until her retirement in 1991. She stayed up with current events by reading the Kalamazoo Gazette each day and watching Fox News at night on television. Even though Nina was usually quiet and reserved, she formed strong opinions about the goings on in the world and would often tell you what she thought about a topic.

With Chuck gone, Nina devoted more and more time to her daughters and their families. She and the girls would talk almost every day. She was still the wise listener and confidant she had been when they were growing up and they felt comfortable sharing anything and everything with their mother.

In recent years, Nina's health had begun to fail. On June 13, 2006 she entered Bronson Hospital. She died of pneumonia on June 15, 2006.

Nina Wykstra was happiest being with her family. She never needed "things" in her life, just the love of those around her. Her warmth and devotion will be remembered by all who knew her and she will be greatly missed.

Nina Belle Wykstra, age 77, died June 15, 2006 at Bronson Hospital. Visit with her family Saturday from Noon until the time of service at 1:00 PM at the Life Story Funeral Home-Betzler 6080 Stadium Dr. 375-2900. Private interment will be in Central Portage Cemetery. Nina was preceded in death by her husband, Charles W. Wykstra; two brothers: Floyd Lober and Harold Lober, Jr.; two sisters: Helen Frost and Louise Dunahoo. Surviving are her daughters; Marcia (Jay) Hansen of Lake Forest, IL and Diane (Ric) Kostecki of Kalamazoo; four grandchildren: Chuck and Jake Sikora and Andrea and Derek Hansen; two brothers: Raymond Lober of Martin, and Jack Lober of Fowlerville; three sisters: Pauline Orris of Martin, Vonnie Barnum of Ada, and Betty Kunz of Chicago; several nieces and nephews. Please visit Nina's personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can share a favorite memory, or make a memorial contribution to the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission Kitchen.