Shirlene Joyce Medendorp

Shirlene Medendorp went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 after passing away unexpectedly from natural causes at the age of 85. She was preceded in death by her parents, John E. Brink and Winifred Comedoor; her husband of nearly sixty years, Rev. James P. Medendorp (Pastor Jim), and her sister, Ruth (Brink) Hubbing. Shirl is survived by her siblings, Betty Anne (Brink) Navis, Phillip Brink, Eunice (Brink) Volkers, and Fred Brink; her sons, Jim (and Debbie) Medendorp, Dave (and Ellen) Medendorp, Tim (and Cherrie) Medendorp, Joel (and Karen) Medendorp; seven grandchildren, and one great grandchild. Shirl was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, lost her mother at the age of 12, and met and married her college sweetheart (Pastor Jim) at Reformed Bible Institute (now Kuyper College) in Grand Rapids. Besides raising four boys, Shirl's careers included grade-school teaching right out of high school, print journalism, nursing, and hopping in and out of an ambulance in her late forties as an EMT. She enjoyed painting and music, especially piano and organ, but also accordion, autoharp, cornet, and keyboard. Shirl also worked alongside her husband in Christian ministry for nearly sixty years, including teaching Sunday School and participating in multiple Bible studies and international short-term missions. Her favorite memories included seeing the Holy Lands with her husband and being with her family on camping trips all over the country. She took great delight in her grandchildren and was so pleased to be in a recent four-generation picture with her son, grandson, and great-granddaughter. Visitation and celebration-of-life memorial will be held at Crete Church, 24755 S. Country Lane, Crete, Illinois, 60417 on Saturday, March 23, 2019. Visitation is planned from 9:30 to 11:00 am (CST), and the celebration is planned at 11:00 am with a light lunch to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations and memorial gifts may be given to Cedar Lake Ministries, PO Box 665, Cedar Lake, IN 46303. For more information go to www.cedarlakeministries.org or call (219) 201-3589.