Leslie (Likkel) Honcoop

I must admit that this milestone – 30 years from high school graduation – has fostered bit of contemplation and introspection on my part. Am I where I thought I would be when, at 18, I looked 30 long years into the future? Am I where I want to be as I look 30 short years into the past...

Frankly, I never was one to have a picture of where I wanted to be 5, 10, 30 years hence. I didn’t really have any designs on my life and occupation in those growing up years – with the exception of knowing that I wanted to be a wife, and a mom.

God graciously allowed me both...and I have to say that the best thing I’ve ever done is be a mom...Not that I was the "best" at it as far as how I did it, but that it was the most meaningful, challenging, and rewarding occupation of my life. I confess, now that my kids are grown, I have struggled to find the "what next" – nothing else seems to compare.

As I said, our kids are grown. At 26, Dillon is soon to be married to Tiffany White, a wonderful girl he met while at Trinity Western University. Dillon is a radio announcer, reporter, producer, and talk-show host at KGMI. It’s quite an experience to have your son debate the issues of the day...publicly...with lots of people listening...nerve-wracking at times as you know you might end up being talked about as well! We are very proud of how he’s handling this amazing opportunity.

Caitlin, 25, is living on her own in Lynden, and is employed as a receptionist at Dickson Medical Clinic. Our shy and introverted little girl now deals with people all day – graciously handling their sometimes unreasonable expectations, and sensitively listening to all manner of personal information...We are proud of the capable, independent and determined young woman she has become. She loves running, reading, and watching Top Gear – and wishes she had a horse again...

Jess, 23, is our resident college grad, struggling to find full-time employment. He graduated from TWU last year, and then had the wonderful opportunity to participate in an American Studies Program, interning in Sen. Richard Lugar’s office last fall. Of course, he came away from that wishing to be employed as a legislative aide...something not so easily accomplished! At this point, he finds himself occupied as a campaign manager for County Council candidate, Bill Knutzen. He’s working on the farm, and at whatever he can pick up...and the dream of moving to DC still lives. Time will tell! I’d love to see him have his dream...but we’ll see what God’s idea is. We’re proud of how he’s working through frustrating circumstances.

Enough bragging! Truly, I do struggle with what to do to occupy my time, now that the kids are grown. I have an idea (grandkids!!) but that is far out of my control. I’ll be patient, and I am content to go back to being, mainly, the farmer’s wife. I never had specific plans to be a farmer’s wife, but I am so grateful that God did. I can’t imagine living anywhere else, and though sometimes it is an unrewarding job financially, and unrelenting work for Randy, we and the kids have gained so much from being on the farm.

With a mostly empty nest, Randy and I are enjoying traveling in the Fall when the farm work has slowed. All the time, we enjoy our boxer, Daisie, whom we got for me to mother to relieve the ‘smothering’ pressure I was putting on the grown kids. She is my constant companion, and quite enjoys my mothering, for which I am grateful. Though I don’t have a specific occupation, somehow the days fill up with activities. I enjoy coffee with friends and family, volunteering at LC, scrapbooking family history, blogging, taking care of my home, keeping the farmer fed...It’s really quite a simple life...Am I where I thought I would be as I looked 30 years down the road? I really can’t say...but I like where I am.

I hope you like where you are too, and I’m looking forward to hearing your stories...If you want to keep up with mine, you can check my blog: www.leslieisverbose.blogspot.com

Rita (Bosscher) Biesbroek

Hello Everyone,
Wow...30 Year Class Reunion!  Where did the time go. Here is a little update.  My husband Case & I will be married for 23 years this Sept. 12th the Lord Willing.  We have lived in Langley, BC also for 23 years and also in the same home which is on a 1/3 of an acre.  We have 3 beautiful children.  Casey Jr. 20 (on Aug 1).  He graduated 2 years ago from Credo Chr. High and now installs gas & electric fireplaces & wood stoves. He enjoys it very much.  He also enjoys spending time with his friends and Snowboarding & dirtbiking.  Ryan 15 will be going to grade 11 this year at Credo Chr. High.  He enjoys school and being with his friends.  He also loves muscle cars and making car models & dirtbiking with his brother.  He is also looking for a part-time job and looking very forward to getting his drivers permit on his next Birthday.  Marietta is 12.  She will be going to grade 8 at Credo Chr. High this fall.  She enjoys school very much and also being with her friends.  She also loves collecting Hello Kitty.   Marietta & my Mom share the same Birthday.  I don't know how we did that being she was also born 17 days early.  She is also the only grand-daughter on my side of the family.  So...after 14 years of driving the kids to & from grade school they will catch a bus at the end of our street this coming school year. 

Case has been working in the Forest Ind. for 30 years this year.  He is Head Filer at the mill he works at.  His work has been a little slower this year, but we are thankful he still has work. I have no problem keeping him busy with the "Honey to do list".  I keep busy at home. For about 90% of the time I am a stay at home Mom and enjoy every minute of it.  I enjoy cooking & baking. (Chocolate Chip Cookies being an all time favorite for us).  I also do a little housekeeping very close by & enjoy it. I love gardening & attending to my flowers.  We have been to Europe twice.  Once in '87 for our Honeymoon and then again for my cousins wedding in '02.  I enjoy staying in touch with my Dutch family (a family is a patchwork of personalities tied together with heartstrings.) and we hope someday to go back to the Old Country.

Well that's just a little part of me & my family.  I am looking forward to our reunion this Saturday. Faith gives us hope and helps us through each day a silver lining at the end will help us on our way.  

Todd Van Middendorp

Hello Classmates!

     Wow! Where have 30 years gone? A reminder of the brevity of our lives, our life as a shadow!!

     As most of you may recall I joined the LC Class of '79 only for our Senior year as our family had recently moved to Whatcom County in the spring of '78 from the Midwest.

    Upon graduation I took some business classes at WCC part time. Meanwhile building my dairy enterprise.

    In 1985 I married my wife Joanne, who hailed from Richmond BC, over the next 17 years we would dairy at 2 locations first near Lynden and then by Sumas. In this time we were blessed with 10 children, 8 sons and 2 daughters. In 2002 my roots from Iowa seemed to be beckoning as we relocated our dairy to Hull, Iowa, 25 miles from where I was born and raised.

    Our children are all here with us, and since coming here we have received 1 more son for a total of 11. Yet myself and Joanne have left behind our parents and all our siblings in Whatcom County and BC.

    More recently one of our sons has married and several more seem poised in that direction. We have become grandparents (a great blessing). This spring 2 of our sons have joined the Army National Guard, and at this time are in basic training at Fort Sill, OK. A reminder that freedom is not free nor cheap!

    I like to joke of my wife, who after 23 years of marriage and living as a Canadian in the States, has recently become a US Citizen. I guess she finally decided she is going to stay here!!

Todd Van Middendorp   

toddlvm@hickorytech.net

Carl Van Weerhuizen

Hello to all.  I am not contemplating on how 30 years has slipped by but rather as to how much we have been able to accomplish in that time.  Since our last reunion I had taken a job  with a dairy equipment company, Westfalia Surge which led us to Idaho and now in the last 4 months I have taken a new position as the manger of the Lynden location of Brim Tractor.  The Lord moves in mysterious ways and sometimes I would like to see the map a little further in advance.  This latest move has challenged myself in learning new people, new ways of business and how to deal with a down economy but more than that it has challenged us as a family as my wife and youngest son are staying in Idaho for the time being as she is a teacher and there is also a shortage of teaching positions in this area.  For those of you who do know me the cart may perhaps of ended up well ahead of the horse.  We are learning to adjust and have tried to look at the silver linings but it seems the gray hairs are much more prevalent.

As I have already stated my wife Gayle is a teacher (High School English) and she does have all the kids that really do not want to be there so it is somewhat of a challenge for her but she does a marvelous job. (She is actually a Saint and has had lots of years of learning patience dealing with me).  We have our oldest David (going to nursing school) married to Melissa (RN) and 2 sons Isaiah (14) and Ethan (12).  They live in Wenatchee, WA. Our next son is Mark (High School History teacher and head Varsity Basketball coach) married to Anna (Middle School PE teacher and coach).  They live in New Plymouth, ID. Our  daughter Ria moved  back to Whatcom County 3 years ago and works for Peoples Bank.  We will be sharing an apartment this coming year.  The youngest is Chase (Sophmore in High School) and he is an artist  extrodinair.  We also have the horse, cattle, goats, chicken, rabbit, cat, Chocolate Lab and the latest is a Boston Terrier puppy.  Life is not dull and I do think my wife would like me to dull down a little.  In my spare time I do some announcing, play some sports and have done quite a bit of gospel singing over the years.  I am looking forward to seeing a number of you at the reunion and around Lynden but forgive me if I do not immediately recognize you because remember- You are all getting a little older.  God Bless  CVW

Anita (Maarhuis) Poortinga

Ed and I will celebrate our 30th anniversary 8/31, I have owned and operated my lawn care business for 17 years and God has blessed me with almost more work than I can keep up with. Ed is also thankful for continued employment in a job he enjoys. We have three children, our oldest son Ryan has been married for 6 years and will enter the masters program in psychology at WSU. Our daughter Tessa has been married 1 year and will graduate from the masters program in clinical social work at the Northwest Nazarene University.  Our youngest son Lukas is 16 and continues to help keep us young. We attend the Wenatchee Nazarene Church and I am involved in many areas, I am the women’s ministry assistant director, and the retreat planner. I help organize volunteers to help others move. I sing on the worship team and have recently helped to start a group called Dare to Care in which we encourage those in need with cards, visits, meals, or whatever else may be helpful. This is one ministry in which I feel I truly am bless in just being the hands and feet of Jesus. I look forward to seeing many of you and hearing about the events in your lives.

Karen (Polinder) Herrema

A 30 Year Reunion…I’ve found myself simply saying “class reunion” to local friends hoping to keep them guessing on what number it is!   It hardly seems possible that we’ve been out of HS that long. Trying to summarize 30 years succinctly is difficult; reflecting on how God has worked in my life and blessed us these  last 30 years is very clear…

We live in Vancouver, WA and enjoy being just 15 minutes from Portland. At the time of our last reunion, I had just left a 16-yr teaching career to work my Creative Memories business full time. It turned out to be a good decision. The last 13 years taught me a great deal about business, sales and how to work with many different types of people. This past fall I thought it might be fun to sell something different and tried a brand new line of clothing. This led me to a NW based company called Holobi. We are a group of personal stylists working one/one with women. I also teach seminars to women's groups on how to look, feel and dress your best. If you've ever seen the TLC show "What Not to Wear", it is pretty similar in format but we go more in depth developing a personal profile for each woman. I have been most fortunate to have 3 completely different careers, but each one very rewarding in a different way.

My husband Mike and I have been married for 21 years. He has been in the lumber business all of that time, and is presently employed with Weyerhaeuser.  We have two boys, Ethan and Collin who are 17 and 14.

Our world has often revolved around MANY hours of coaching/watching our kids in organized sports over the years.  I have enough stories to write a book entitled "Unbelievable True Stories of a Sports Mom".  I'll bet a few of you can relate! 

We attend a Baptist church and all four of us are very involved and love being part of that. Three of us enjoy golf, one is still thinking about starting and we all enjoy traveling! We have taken some wonderful family trips over the years.

I really look forward to re-connecting with many of you at the reunion!

Heidi Kramer

Since graduating from LC, I’ve lived in 6 different states.  I eventually landed in the Phoenix, Arizona area 14 years ago and still live here with 2 of my 3 daughters.  I try to visit family in Lynden every other Christmas.  I still miss the Pacific Northwest and would like to move back someday.

Life definitely has its ups and downs, doesn’t it?  During my divorce in 2000, I joked that sometimes God takes you through things kicking and screaming.  It was a painful time in my life, and I am thankful to have moved on and be laughing again!

I am blessed with 3 daughters:  Breanne is 22 and just graduated from Dordt with a degree in English. She was married last year and lives in Iowa with husband Nick Brouwer.  Morgan is 20 and in nursing school.  Shelby is 16 and a junior in high school this fall.  I’ve been a single mom for 10 years, and it’s been a wild ride, but as a result, my girls and I are very close.  God is faithful!

In 2005, I obtained an interior design degree, and while I haven’t used the degree much, it has opened other doors for me.  With the economy being what it is, I am thankful for a steady job as a sales assistant.  In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends and doing design work on the side.

High school was a great time for me and if I can make it to the reunion, it will be great to talk old memories and catch up on your lives now…

 

(L to R.  Morgan, Heidi, Breanne, and Shelby.)

Lorrie (Korevaar) Whatley

Seriously—it's been 30 years since our High School graduation?!?!?!  Without having children to gauge the passing years, Stephen & I sometimes forget that we are ageing (until we look into a mirror).  Thankfully, maturity is also part of the package—and I certainly would not exchange any of my wrinkles or gray hairs for a youthful appearance if it should require cashing in the maturity the Lord has granted me along the way.  I am blessed and thankful for what the Lord has unfolded in my life over the years.

Stephen & I will soon celebrate our 22^nd wedding anniversary.  My, how time flies when spending it with someone you love!  The biggest change that has transpired in our lives in the recent years is that in 2005 we moved back to the USA following nearly 22 years of living overseas.  We had been teaching in Bible Colleges & seminaries in Micronesia & the Philippines (and I in Central America before we married).  The memories remain sweet and our lives continue to be enriched by what the Lord taught us during our years in The Islands.

Currently Stephen & I are both employed at Faith Evangelical Seminary (an evangelical inter‑denominational seminary located near Point Defiance in Tacoma).  While Stephen continues as professor, I am no longer teaching—instead, I work in the Admissions Office.  We live in a small apartment‑home near the seminary so we appreciate being able to walk to work.

Another significant part of my life at this time is that I drive to Lynden weekly to visit/assist my father (he has Alzheimer's and lives at the Care Center).  Although it is a 290 mile trek (round trip) it is a sweet journey because whichever direction I'm headed, I'm driving toward someone I love!

One of my dreams is to write a devotional book for Advent Season.  I imagine it would be a satisfying culmination to my years of teaching Old Testament Survey—spotlighting the familiar OT Bible stories I came to love as a child and showing that when all linked together they are a single story that points to Jesus!

Class of 1979: I am looking forward to reconnecting you!  My prayer for our class is that we continue to grow in God's grace and radiate His love to those around us!

Lisa (Mellema) Groeneweg

I am still married to Mark Groeneweg, we just celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary.  Mark is still a CPA in Lynden.  Currently, I am helping in the caretaking of our two small grandchildren, Isaak and Faith Groeneweg, ages 3 and 1.  Our oldest son Jason, age 27 (father of the grandchildren) is married to Danielle.  Our second son Matthew, age 23, works at Flora in Lynden and our daughter Megan, age 19, is attending college to become an RN.

I have also recently written a book that I am currently working on getting published.  This has been something I have been meaning to do for years, but haven't had the time until now.  The book is a pre-teen mystery book (hopefully will turn into a series) centered around my childhood farm neighborhood on the River Road.  Don't worry, no classmates are in this first book...but all the names will be changed to protect the innocent:)

For leisure, we enjoy boating around the islands and keeping busy with our 2 acre mini-farm off the Van Dyk Road, just outside of Lynden.  We also enjoy getting together with our friends and family. 

Bernie Vos

One of the things I dreaded the most as a teen-ager was that my life would be boring and “normal”. God has a sense of humor, as it’s been everything but boring. After many years spent in Arizona, Virginia & Florida, I returned to Washington in 2006. I’ve had the opportunity to travel through most of the States, but haven't found any place that comes close to the Pacific Northwest. On any given day you might see me around town carrying a camera, as I never lost the photography bug… Or driving around with the windows down and the music up! I have three daughters, the oldest is currently at Harvard, and her sisters live in Williamsburg, Virginia. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again at the class reunion, and plan to keep this blog going not only with class member updates, but also with photos of all the school years we spent together. Please help us make this a fun place to visit, and submit any pictures or favorite memories you’d like to see posted here.

bernie_vos@hotmail.com

Kathi (Vander Haak) Jansen

 

Not much has changed for me in the past 10 years since our last reunion in '99, except our sons Derek and Wyatt have both passed me up in height and I am getting older (not old-just older). I am still living in Lynden by Wiser Lake, employed at Bellingham Travel (over 20 years) and married to Jeff (18 years) and have two boys, my step-son Derek (20) and son Wyatt (13). Jeff is a banker in Bellingham and currently the president of the LC school board. Derek works for a retail store in Ferndale and also works for a reptile breeder, and Wyatt just graduated 8th grade at LC and is crazy about playing Lacrosse and his new dog- a Golden Lab, "Kona".

Our favorite hobbies are traveling, golfing and boating. I would say my passion is travel, I get home from one vacation and start planning the next.

My personal blog is http://www.suitcasesurvivorgirl.blogspot.com/ if you want to check it out (although I am not very good at keeping it up to date).

I am thankful to be blessed with a loving family, great friends and a wonderful home. I hope all is well with each of you and I'm looking forward to the reunion in July.

GOD IS SO GOOD!!!

Wyatt and his dog Kona

Our family picture in fall "06