|
Grand Rapids, Mich. (Friday, May 25, 2007) – They met at the age of 14. They were sweethearts during their teenage years. And, like many young sweethearts, they later married—60 years later, that is.
Henry and Christine VandeKerk’s love story is one of friendship, faithfulness, and coming full circle. They grew up in Iowa and dated somewhat seriously, but life took them on separate paths. Christine enrolled in nursing school, after which she joined the army and served in Europe during World War II. Henry had to work instead of going to high school, but he did enroll in flight school, where he earned a license to teach aviation. He spent much of the war at the Naval Air Station in Ottumwa, Iowa, training young servicemen to fly.
After the war, Christine was discharged from the Army and relocated to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she joined the Arabian Mission of the Reformed Church in America. She spent much of her second career traveling to Iraq, Jordan, and other mission fields to spread the Gospel and bring healing. Along the way she earned a Bachelors degree at the University of Michigan and a Masters degree at Columbia University. Christine never married.
Henry left aviation—and Iowa—after the war and became a press operator in Colorado, though he still did some flying occasionally. He spent nearly 40 years in Colorado with his wife, son, and daughter.
Henry’s wife died in 1987. In August of 1991, he traveled to Grand Rapids to visit family. While he was there he looked up his old sweetheart Christine.
They reunited and caught up on old times, and after Henry returned to Iowa, they continued to correspond. On December 15 that same year, they were married. “It seemed like the proper thing to do,” says Henry.
Today, 16 years later, Henry and Christine VandeKerk are now 94 and 95 years old, enjoying their golden years together at Emerald Meadows, an Assisted Living community in Grand Rapids. They care for each other just as tenderly now as they did six decades ago.
Emerald Meadows is located at 6117 Charlevoix Woods Court (right off of 28th Street, behind the Wal-Mart) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Call 616-954-2366 for more information.
|
