Karen DeRuyter

  Karen (Van Ry) De Ruyter, age 73, joined the celestial choir on Thursday, June 10, 2021.
  Karen was born in Bellingham on Jan. 14, 1948, to Hugo and Fanny Van Ry of Lynden. She began her musical journey when she was 6. She completed her K-12 schooling at Lynden Christian in 1966. She then attended Dordt College and graduated in 1970 with an elementary education and music degree.
  Karen met her husband, Nelson De Ruyter, while attending church in Rock Valley IA. They were married in Bethel Christian Reformed Church of Lynden on Aug. 14, 1970, on her parents’ 25th wedding anniversary. They moved to Monroe WA where Karen started teaching first, second and third grades along with music at Monroe Christian School. In September 1976, Nelson and Karen welcomed their son, Brent. In 1979 the young family moved back to Lynden. In April 1980, Nelson and Karen welcomed their daughter, Alyssa.
  Karen loved playing the piano and organ. She played for thousands of church services, funerals, weddings, graduations and many other special events. She also directed dozens of choirs and small groups within the churches, school and broader community. She taught hundreds of piano students in the family home. Her children remember waking up to piano music and going to bed to piano music. Her largest year included 67 youth and adult piano students.
  Karen returned to her classroom teaching career in the fall of 1991 at Ebenezer Christian School. Mrs. De Ruyter was known for morning singing time, love and attention to the individual skills of her students, and nurturing life-long relationships with her fellow staff members.
  Karen’s creativity was also displayed in her handmade cards that were given to all the special people in her life including her church family. She also loved to display God’s beauty through all the flowers she had around her home. After retiring, one of Karen’s favorite things was talking on the phone for hours each morning with her family and friends.
  Karen is survived by her loving and faithful husband, Nelson De Ruyter; children Brent and Rochele De Ruyter (Blake, Grant, Taya and Jadyn) and Alyssa and Karl Bos (Jasmine and Kayla). She will be missed by her mother, Fanny Van Ry; brother Gary (Tina) Van Ry; sister Leta (Tom) Hastings; brothers-in-law Arnie (Janie) De Ruyter and Tony Ver Steeg; and numerous other relatives.
  She was preceded in death by her father, Hugo Van Ry; father-in-law August De Ruyter, mother-in-law Gertrude De Ruyter; and sister-in-law Winerva Ver Steeg.
  The memorial service will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 16, in First Christian Reformed Church on Front Street in Lynden.
  In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Ebenezer Christian School, 9390 Guide Meridian Rd., Lynden, WA 98264.
  Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services.