Clarissa Jan (VanderLaan) De Vries, aged 62, of East Grand Rapids, MI went home to her faithful Lord and Savior on September 15, 2011. Criss was born in Oak Park, IL, on May 1, 1949 and preceded in death by her loving mother and father, Janet and Clarence VanderLaan. She is survived by her family who deeply loves and misses her: husband, Rev. William De Vries; children, Jane Van Hof, Jeremy (Jill) Van Hof, Christopher (Andrea) Van Hof; step-children, Heather (Stephen) Briody, Cori (Bradley) VanderLey and Rachel (Matthew) Sterner; sister, Linda VanderLaan, brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Burton and Kathy VanderLaan as well as cousins, nephews and nieces. Grandma delighted in and deeply loved her 12 grandchildren: James, Michael and Matthew Eerdmans, Theodore and Lucy Van Hof, Devin Fisher, Sofia and William Briody, Natalie and Tanner VanderLey, and Samuel and Leo Sterner.
In addition to being a devoted and joyful wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt, Criss was a highly respected and cherished musician and educator. Criss received her BA degree from Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL and her MFA in music education from Western Michigan University. She was known as Mrs. Van Hof during her years teaching music at Seymour Christian School, but her students always knew her as "Mrs. Music". She also taught in the Grosse Pointe and Dearborn Christian Schools and in the Chippewa Valley, Grosse Pointe, Kentwood and Kenowa Hills public schools. During her more than 30 years of teaching, literally thousands of young people have been touched by and shaped by her fervent love of music and of children. Criss was also an accomplished organist and choir director who was on the staff of churches of a variety of denominations as well as serving as substitute organist in many churches in both Detroit and Grand Rapids. Criss also served on the Board of Directors of the Grand Rapids chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Through all her life Criss was known as a faithful friend and devoted servant of Christ who brought joy and a song into every life she touched.
Funeral services will be held at First Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, 650 Bates S.E. (Franklin St. near Eastern Ave.,) at 4 p.m. on Monday, September 19, the Rev. Glenda Prins and Rev. Kathy Smith officiating. Interment will take place Tuesday, September 20 at Mt. Vernon Cemetery, 11875 Archer Ave. in Lemont, IL at 12:00 p.m. Visitation with the family will be available at the Zaagman Memorial Chapel on Sunday, September 18 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital or to Faith Hospice.
In addition to being a devoted and joyful wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt, Criss was a highly respected and cherished musician and educator. Criss received her BA degree from Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL and her MFA in music education from Western Michigan University. She was known as Mrs. Van Hof during her years teaching music at Seymour Christian School, but her students always knew her as "Mrs. Music". She also taught in the Grosse Pointe and Dearborn Christian Schools and in the Chippewa Valley, Grosse Pointe, Kentwood and Kenowa Hills public schools. During her more than 30 years of teaching, literally thousands of young people have been touched by and shaped by her fervent love of music and of children. Criss was also an accomplished organist and choir director who was on the staff of churches of a variety of denominations as well as serving as substitute organist in many churches in both Detroit and Grand Rapids. Criss also served on the Board of Directors of the Grand Rapids chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Through all her life Criss was known as a faithful friend and devoted servant of Christ who brought joy and a song into every life she touched.
Funeral services will be held at First Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, 650 Bates S.E. (Franklin St. near Eastern Ave.,) at 4 p.m. on Monday, September 19, the Rev. Glenda Prins and Rev. Kathy Smith officiating. Interment will take place Tuesday, September 20 at Mt. Vernon Cemetery, 11875 Archer Ave. in Lemont, IL at 12:00 p.m. Visitation with the family will be available at the Zaagman Memorial Chapel on Sunday, September 18 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital or to Faith Hospice.
Clarissa Jan (VanderLaan) De Vries, aged 62, of East Grand Rapids, MI went home to her faithful Lord and Savior on September 15, 2011. Criss was born in Oak Park, IL, on May 1, 1949 and preceded in death by her loving mother and father, Janet and Clarence VanderLaan. She is survived by her family who deeply loves and misses her: husband, Rev. William De Vries; children, Jane Van Hof, Jeremy (Jill) Van Hof, Christopher (Andrea) Van Hof; step-children, Heather (Stephen) Briody, Cori (Bradley) VanderLey and Rachel (Matthew) Sterner; sister, Linda VanderLaan, brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Burton and Kathy VanderLaan as well as cousins, nephews and nieces. Grandma delighted in and deeply loved her 12 grandchildren: James, Michael and Matthew Eerdmans, Theodore and Lucy Van Hof, Devin Fisher, Sofia and William Briody, Natalie and Tanner VanderLey, and Samuel and Leo Sterner.
In addition to being a devoted and joyful wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt, Criss was a highly respected and cherished musician and educator. Criss received her BA degree from Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL and her MFA in music education from Western Michigan University. She was known as Mrs. Van Hof during her years teaching music at Seymour Christian School, but her students always knew her as "Mrs. Music". She also taught in the Grosse Pointe and Dearborn Christian Schools and in the Chippewa Valley, Grosse Pointe, Kentwood and Kenowa Hills public schools. During her more than 30 years of teaching, literally thousands of young people have been touched by and shaped by her fervent love of music and of children. Criss was also an accomplished organist and choir director who was on the staff of churches of a variety of denominations as well as serving as substitute organist in many churches in both Detroit and Grand Rapids. Criss also served on the Board of Directors of the Grand Rapids chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Through all her life Criss was known as a faithful friend and devoted servant of Christ who brought joy and a song into every life she touched.
Funeral services will be held at First Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, 650 Bates S.E. (Franklin St. near Eastern Ave.,) at 4 p.m. on Monday, September 19, the Rev. Glenda Prins and Rev. Kathy Smith officiating. Interment will take place Tuesday, September 20 at Mt. Vernon Cemetery, 11875 Archer Ave. in Lemont, IL at 12:00 p.m. Visitation with the family will be available at the Zaagman Memorial Chapel on Sunday, September 18 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital or to Faith Hospice.
In addition to being a devoted and joyful wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt, Criss was a highly respected and cherished musician and educator. Criss received her BA degree from Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL and her MFA in music education from Western Michigan University. She was known as Mrs. Van Hof during her years teaching music at Seymour Christian School, but her students always knew her as "Mrs. Music". She also taught in the Grosse Pointe and Dearborn Christian Schools and in the Chippewa Valley, Grosse Pointe, Kentwood and Kenowa Hills public schools. During her more than 30 years of teaching, literally thousands of young people have been touched by and shaped by her fervent love of music and of children. Criss was also an accomplished organist and choir director who was on the staff of churches of a variety of denominations as well as serving as substitute organist in many churches in both Detroit and Grand Rapids. Criss also served on the Board of Directors of the Grand Rapids chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Through all her life Criss was known as a faithful friend and devoted servant of Christ who brought joy and a song into every life she touched.
Funeral services will be held at First Christian Reformed Church of Grand Rapids, 650 Bates S.E. (Franklin St. near Eastern Ave.,) at 4 p.m. on Monday, September 19, the Rev. Glenda Prins and Rev. Kathy Smith officiating. Interment will take place Tuesday, September 20 at Mt. Vernon Cemetery, 11875 Archer Ave. in Lemont, IL at 12:00 p.m. Visitation with the family will be available at the Zaagman Memorial Chapel on Sunday, September 18 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital or to Faith Hospice.
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