Evelyn Bekedam went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, April 27, 2021, at the age of 96. She was born in Ripon, California, on July 27, 1924 to parents Albert and Fannie (Vrieling) Marsman of Ripon’s Olive Avenue.
She attended grade school in Ripon as well as Ripon High School and graduated in 1942. During WWII, she worked at the Sharpe Army Depot in Lathrop, California. She also started dating John Bekedam, who was away at war and wrote letters faithfully every day. After two months of dating, they got engaged and married six months later on June 20, 1946. They celebrated 69 years of marriage in 2015. Their marriage served as a role model for their children and all who knew them.
Evelyn and John lived in Ripon for ten years and then moved to Southern, California in 1956 for 45 years while he worked in dairy farming. After John retired, they came back home to Ripon in 2001. She was very active in church activities, serving as a lady’s aide in various churches in Ripon, CA, Bellflower, CA, Anaheim, CA, and Visalia, CA. Evelyn enjoyed life serving her Lord, going to church activities, family and friends, gardening, cooking, RV traveling, bowling, and playing cards. The best years of her life were spent living with, taking care of, and loving John Bekedam. She took care of him until he passed away in 2015 and has been reunited with him.
Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Fannie Marsman, her loving husband John Bekedam, sisters, Jeannette Miller and Minnie Koning, brother, Herman Marsman, and her son Kenneth Bekedam.
She is survived her sisters, Trudy O’Neal, Anita Daoud, Alberta Rodgers, and brother Albert Marsman, children, Don (Beverley) Bekedam, Gordon (Linda) Bekedam, Patricia Bekedam. She was blessed with 11 grand children and many great- grandchildren.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Deegan Funeral Chapels. Visitation is scheduled for Monday, May 3rd from 10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at Deegan Ripon Memorial Chapel. A graveside service is scheduled for Monday, May 3rd at 12:00 p.m. at Ripon Cemetery. Remembrances in Evelyn's name may be made to Ripon Christian School or First Christian Reformed Church Building Fund or a charity of choice.
She attended grade school in Ripon as well as Ripon High School and graduated in 1942. During WWII, she worked at the Sharpe Army Depot in Lathrop, California. She also started dating John Bekedam, who was away at war and wrote letters faithfully every day. After two months of dating, they got engaged and married six months later on June 20, 1946. They celebrated 69 years of marriage in 2015. Their marriage served as a role model for their children and all who knew them.
Evelyn and John lived in Ripon for ten years and then moved to Southern, California in 1956 for 45 years while he worked in dairy farming. After John retired, they came back home to Ripon in 2001. She was very active in church activities, serving as a lady’s aide in various churches in Ripon, CA, Bellflower, CA, Anaheim, CA, and Visalia, CA. Evelyn enjoyed life serving her Lord, going to church activities, family and friends, gardening, cooking, RV traveling, bowling, and playing cards. The best years of her life were spent living with, taking care of, and loving John Bekedam. She took care of him until he passed away in 2015 and has been reunited with him.
Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Fannie Marsman, her loving husband John Bekedam, sisters, Jeannette Miller and Minnie Koning, brother, Herman Marsman, and her son Kenneth Bekedam.
She is survived her sisters, Trudy O’Neal, Anita Daoud, Alberta Rodgers, and brother Albert Marsman, children, Don (Beverley) Bekedam, Gordon (Linda) Bekedam, Patricia Bekedam. She was blessed with 11 grand children and many great- grandchildren.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Deegan Funeral Chapels. Visitation is scheduled for Monday, May 3rd from 10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at Deegan Ripon Memorial Chapel. A graveside service is scheduled for Monday, May 3rd at 12:00 p.m. at Ripon Cemetery. Remembrances in Evelyn's name may be made to Ripon Christian School or First Christian Reformed Church Building Fund or a charity of choice.
Ripon
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Saturday, May 1, 2021
