Beverly J. Jager-DeVries

Beverly Joan (Schrotenboer) Jager-DeVries, having lived a life of faith, love and service, died on Feb. 13, 2026, in Spring Hill, Tenn., at the age of 93.

Bev was born Feb. 23, 1932, in Holland, Mich. Her great-great-grandparents arrived in Holland, from the Netherlands just six months after the pioneer leader Albertus Van Raalte.

The third of seven children of George and Geraldine (Hietbrink) Schrotenboer, Bev grew up during the Great Depression. Her father George ran a Pure Oil service station at the corner of 17th and Pine in Holland.

In 1943, when she was 11 years old, the family moved to a dairy farm near Moline, Mich. Bev graduated from Grand Rapids Christian High School in 1950. She then attended Calvin College, earning a two-year teaching certificate.

During her student teaching in Grand Rapids, she brought her students to the family dairy farm for a field trip. Bev then taught first grade at Grand Haven Christian School and second grade at Cutlerville Christian School.

In 1953, Bev married Bert Jager at Moline Christian Reformed Church. Bev and Bert participated in the Baby Boom by having four kids. They moved to Stevensville, in 1962 when Bert was transferred there by the Michigan State Highway Department. Bev hosted 55 years of Labor Day get-togethers with the extended Jager family. Bert and Bev were among the earliest members of the St. Joseph Christian Reformed Church, where she was one of the organists for many years.

Bev was a stay-at-home mom until her youngest was in school. She then went back into education, teaching special-needs students as a paraprofessional at Gard School and later the Blossomland Learning Center. At home, Bev was famous for always having homemade cookies, brownies and cake on hand. The smell of homemade bread was a much-loved smell in the Jager household. She also hosted many friends and kids at the Jager pool, doing her famous sidestroke to keep her hair dry.

Bev was also an outstanding bowler, participating in many leagues and tournaments. She connected with her grandkids by playing floor hockey with them into her 70s.

After Bert died in 1982, Bev married Dick DeVries in 1993, who died in 2014. In 2017, Bev moved to an assisted living facility in Spring Hill, Tenn., south of Nashville. Her son Tom, who lived nearby, provided years of faithful assistance, along with his wife Beth.

Bev Jager is survived by her daughter, Sheryll (Kleigh) Hirschi of Parowan, Utah; son, Randy (Lori) Jager of Wayland, Mich.; son, Tom (Beth Yates) Jager of Spring Hill; and son, Chuck (Mary Jo) Jager of Stevensville; stepchildren: Nancy SwiftBird, Chuck (Linda) DeVries, Carol (Wes) Risse, Marty (Shirley) DeVries, Keith DeVries and Hein Nguyen; sister, Yvonne Reiffer of Grandville, Mich., brother Rich (Lin) Schrotenboer of Middleville, Mich., and brother Ron (Joan) Schrotenboer of Wayland, Mich.; sisters-in-law: Bonnie (John) Tolsma of Hamilton, Mich., and Susan Jager-Coleman of Au Gres, Mich.; grandchildren: Levi (Ann) Hirschi, Klint (Michelle) Hirschi, Randy (Jessica) Jager, Brian Jager, Katie (Tom) Rewa, Sarah (Dan) Smith, Colby (Jessica) Cothron, Chloe (Chase) Rowe, Mayci Yates, Drew Jager and Sam Jager. She is also survived by 13 great-grandchildren.

Bev's funeral will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Starks and Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph, 49085. A visitation will be held before the funeral from 9:30-11 a.m. Memorial donations can be made to Blossomland Learning Center, with funds to be used to improve the school playground. Feel free to share a memory with the family on their online guest book at www.starks-menchinger.com.