Henrietta Vander Schaaf met her Lord and Savior face to face on November 28, 2025 following a short period of illness.
She was a remarkably strong woman-physically, emotionally and spiritually. She loved and was loved and will be missed by her large family, her friends and her church.
Henrietta was born in Hanford, California to Willem and Tannetje Verhoeven on April 29, 1926. She was the youngest of four children. At the age of 18 months, her parents moved to the Los Angeles area because of better employment opportunities for her dad and a nicer climate. When she was of school age, she was enrolled in the public school, but when a Christian School was started in Bellflower, CA, her parents moved the family closer to Bellflower so that the children could receive a Christian education.
Henrietta graduated from what was then called Bellflower Christian High School, now known as Valley Christian High. Upon graduation, Henrietta worked as a teller in a bank. When Henrietta was 15, her father bought cows from a man called Earl Vander Schaaf and Henrietta met his son John. They became friends and one week before her sixteenth birthday, John asked her out for a date. They dated for almost five years and married in 1947. They were married for almost 64 years. In that time they moved several times. They lived in Norwalk, Buena Park, and Ontario, all in Southern California. Finally in 1990 they moved to Ripon where they lived out their lives.
Henrietta and John were blessed with six children, five daughters and one son. They made it a priority that their children learn about God and His plan for salvation through Jesus. Family devotions took place at every meal, church attendance was never up for debate, and all of the children were blessed by receiving a Christian education. Henrietta and John were firm believers in “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” But the home was filled with so much more than instruction. It was filled with love and laughter. A LOT OF LOVE; A LOT OF LAUGHTER!
Henrietta enjoyed being home. She loved to clean; she loved to sew and she was a voracious reader. She especially liked it when her kids, grandchildren and great-grandchildren visited. (She always had suckers ready for the little ones!) She was a very good conversationalist. Two weeks before her passing, at the age of 99, she was still driving her car and living on her own. She was fiercely independent right to the end.
Henrietta was devoted to Her Savior, her husband, her children, her grand and great-grandchildren and her church. She will be missed greatly, but we know that at the end of her life she could say “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”. And on Friday, November 28, she heard the Lord say to her “Well done, my good and faithful servant….”
Henrietta’s Family Husband: John Vander Schaaf children: Thelene Dotinga (Bill), Corrine Koolhaas (Ken), Sheri Heida (Jim), Beverly Woltjer (Larry), John Vander Schaaf (Susan), Joni Van Groningen (Marv). grandchildren: Billy Dotinga, Michael Dotinga (Carrie), Lisa Van Groningen (Brian), Michelle Selby (Mark), Melanie Lumkes (Jay), Steve Koolhaas (Alyona), David Koolhaas (Shelly), Tom Koolhaas (Laura), Ken Koolhaas (Erin), Daniel Koolhaas (Kristi), Jim Heida (Liz), Rich Heida (Leslie), John Heida (Lauri), Shelly Walker (Cody), Jeana Woltjer, Rachelle Sanny (Luke), Laurie Beck (Jeff), Melissa Freitas (Manny), John Wm. Vander Schaaf, Debby Andersen (Tim), Joey Vander Schaaf (Monica), David Vander Schaaf (Bethany), James Vander Schaaf (Brittany), Aaron Van Groningen (Brooke), Jared Van Groningen (Carly), and Natalie Regusci (John). 80 + great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren with at least three more on the way! extended family: sister-in-law Liz Vander Schaaf and a plethora of nieces and nephews from both the Verhoeven and Vander Schaaf families.
Henrietta was preceded in death by her husband John, her daughter Thelene Dotinga, her son-in-law Jim Heida , and her grandson John Wm. Vander Schaaf and great-grandson Dylan Selby.
Since she lived to the age of 99 she also lost her parents Willem and Tannetje Verhoeven, her siblings and their spouses: John Verhoeven (Arenda and Char), Martin Verhoeven (Leona) , Nellie Vander Pol (Ed) and her dear in-laws: Audrey Lanting (Broer), Florie Herrema (John), and Earl Vander Schaaf.
Visitation will be on Monday, December 8, between 4:30-6:30 at Deegan’s Funeral Home in Ripon. A memorial service will be held at 11 o’clock on Tuesday, December 9, at Zion Reformed Church in Ripon.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Henrietta’s memory to one of these organizations that were close to her heart. Ripon Christian Schools : 435 Maple Ave., Ripon, CA 95366 Zion Reformed Church of Ripon (audio visual fund): 1220 Canal Blvd., Ripon, CA 95366
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Wednesday, December 3, 2025
