Shelby Sue Van Laar

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Our sweet Shelby Sue. Oh how well she lived out these verses shining bright for Jesus. An example of kindness and compassion with the sweetest smile in the room. Nothing brought Shelby greater joy and peace than worshipping and spending time with her Savior. Surrounding herself with her family and friends also filled her heart and soul to the brim. She was a warm and radiant presence in her workplace, community, and her church, and her gentle heart of gold allowed her to impact the lives of so many for the better. Dearly loved, Shelby is already immensely missed, and her precious memory will be forever and ever etched on our hearts.

Shelby was born on January 15, 1998 to David & Leilani Van Laar. The youngest of the Van Laar children, Shelby was raised alongside her four older siblings, Julia, Andreya, Amanda, and Austin. She was a very happy baby with the bounciest, blonde curls that made it easy for her siblings to all dote on her and treat her like their real-life baby doll. She didn’t mind though; she was always happy to just be along for whatever ride or adventure they’d bring her on.

From a young age, Shelby’s tender and caring nature could be seen in the way she loved her little baby doll, Susie, and her family’s beloved golden retrievers. As the baby of the family, she was very attached to her Mommy, Daddy, sisters, and brother, and didn’t like being separated from them, even for nursery or Sunday school; she would have much rather just been carted around someone’s hip than partake in playing with friends & eating animal crackers (although she did like animal crackers). As a little girl, Shelby loved singing, dancing, and music. She was involved in kid’s choir and was always one of the most expressive little singers. Starting in first grade, Shelby began playing soccer, following in her sister Amanda’s footsteps and fueling a love for the sport that would last for many years to come, she was gifted and loved it! She grew up right outside of Grand Rapids in Caledonia and graduated from Caledonia High School in 2016, eager to see what the Lord had for her future.

Shelby was initially interested in pursuing forensic science, but she eventually followed her heart to the medical field. She attended Cornerstone University on a scholarship to study pre-med and play soccer. She loved her teammates and they became some of her closest friends. Shelby then made the switch to the University of Detroit Mercy for nursing school. She worked hard and graduated with her nursing degree in 2021. We will fondly remember having a virtual graduation ceremony for her in Dad & Keri’s living room (because covid protocols were still in place) where she wore her cap and gown and we all waited patiently as the names scrolled across the screen. When we finally saw “Shelby Van Laar BSN” we all cheered and clapped as she stood in front of us, face beaming. She began working at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo in the neuro unit, then found herself on the PACU floor and fell in love with it. She had the most genuine heart for her patients and her coworkers. Shelby quickly worked her way up to becoming charge nurse, and she was admired for her responsibility and her gentle, nurturing ways.

Throughout her life, Shelby was devoted to her faith and constantly strove to grow deeper in her relationship with the Lord. When she was new to the Kalamazoo area, her sister Julia and brother-in-law Luke recommended that Shelby check out North Pines Church in Portage. She began attending and dove right in. She quickly met Andrew and Emily Schwengel and their three daughters Grace, Caroline, and Emma. They immediately and lovingly took Shelby in as part of their family and affectionately referred to her as “Shelby Schwengel” and the girls’ “Aunt Shelby”. Shelby became a beloved member of North Pines and was baptized three years ago. She often spoke of countless people by name whom she adored and felt privileged to do life with. She poured her heart and soul into the church, volunteering to serve wherever she could. She served in many areas such as a youth leader and the head of the cleaning team which was a testament to her humility. She was never afraid to speak about her faith and was able to see the fruit of that in the Lord saving people he brought into her life. Shelby was a constant encouragement to others to live like Christ.

Of all the things Shelby loved in life, her family, immediate & extended, was one of her greatest treasures. Toward the end of high school, her immediate family circle grew to include a stepdad (Bill), a stepmom (Keri), and stepsiblings (Josh, Matt, Melissa, and Katie), all whom she grew to love very, very much. One of Shelby’s biggest blessings in life was being an aunt to her nieces and nephews. She would always greet them with, “Hi, Cutie!”. Some of her most fond family memories include pontoon rides & lake swims with Dad, Keri, her siblings, and nieces & nephews, Pictured Rocks with Mom, Bill, & Austin, sharing a bed with Julia for most of her life, bonding with Andreya over their love for doggos, her and Amanda being each other’s biggest fans on the soccer field, connecting with Luke over their shared love for biking, the Danigelis Myrtle Beach trip in 2011, the annual celebration of Father’s Day and Grandpa Van Laar’s birthday at Aunt Lynn and Uncle Jerry’s, any “Van-Hulst” gatherings with all of the love and loud, Gram Dalton’s amazing cooking and candy handouts, Danigelis Christmas where everyone would hold a half-used candle and sing in all parts while Grandpa played his accordion, “find the pickle” at Dad’s, playing mafia with her cousins, and countless random coffee, lunch, or ice cream meet-ups to just talk with her Mama. Shelby was also an extremely proud doggy mom to her golden retriever Tango (who she tragically lost after 8 years) and more recently her 18 week-old golden retriever puppy, Tucker. She dedicated herself to training him well and did a phenomenal job.

Shelby had a great balance of keeping herself busy with hobbies such as long bike rides and working out but also appreciated the art and importance of reading, journaling, resting, and being still. Shane & Shane, Charity Gayle, CeCe Winans, and many other Christian artists and worship music filled her playlists. She also was a closet Gospel music connoisseur thanks to Grandpa & Grandma Danigelis! Going to concerts for the purpose of worshipping her Savior and experiencing the Holy Spirit was one of her favorite things to do.

When reflecting on the life of our sweet Shelby, it is easy to see both her unwavering selflessness and unconditional love. Loyal and generous with her time and gifts, she exemplified what it meant to follow faithfully after the Lord she loved so much. A precious daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, aunt, and friend Shelby never missed a chance to hold her family and friends close. She welcomed anyone and everyone with open arms, and she possessed beauty and grace that shone from her soul. Though she is already greatly missed, Shelby leaves behind a priceless and precious collection of memories that we will forever hold near and dear to our hearts.

Shelby Sue Van Laar, age 27, died on September 3, 2025. She was preceded in death by her Grandma and Grandpa Van Laar, Grandpa Danigelis; and cousins: Bradley Baxter, and Brian Brockette. Surviving are her mother: Leilani (Bill) Hulst; father: Dave (Keri) Van Laar; Grandma Dalton; Grandma Danigelis; siblings: Julia (Luke) Burley, Andreya (Jake) Moerdyke, Amanda (Caleb) Schutter, and Austin Van Laar. Step-siblings: Josh (Leslie) Hulst, Matt (Tracey) Hulst, Melissa (Jason) Thompson, and Katie (Tom) Irons; and many loved aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and special friends. Cremation has taken place. Please join us at a Life Story Visitation at North Pines Church on Tuesday, September 9, 2025 from 4 PM – 7 PM. Burial will occur on Wednesday September 10, 2025 at Lakeside Cemetery in Caledonia, MI at 11 AM. A Celebration of Life will be held at North Pines Church on Wednesday September 10, 2025 at 4 PM, followed by a reception at the church. Celebrate Shelby’s life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on her dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com. Memorial contributions may be made to North Pines Church.