Barbara E. Scanlon

07/10/1933 - 11/09/2025

With gratitude to God for His love through a full life, we celebrate and grieve the homegoing of Barbara Elaine Scanlon. At 92 years old, as her body got weaker and weaker, her heart grew more and more eager to go home and be at rest with Jesus. Her soul's release into His arms came on Sunday evening, November 9, 2025.
Barb was born in Muskegon Heights in July 1933 to Christopher and Stena Postma. She graduated from Muskegon Christian School where she formed friendships that continued her whole life.
In her late teens, Barb started to notice Allen Kroeze, the handsome young man from church who was to become her first great love. Their courtship started with friendly letters of support and encouragement while he was deployed during the Korean conflict. When he returned from there, they realized they were meant for each other and married in 1954. They were attended at their wedding by their two best friends, Al and Elaine VanDonkelaar.
Barb and Al had three children, Cheryl, Dale and Glenn and enjoyed many camping trips, a cross country adventure and beautiful celebrations of holidays and birthdays with local family. Al died in 1982 leaving Barb a young widow who was broken hearted but also grateful for God's amazing provision for her through that hard time.
In 1986, Barb married Bob VanderLeest and they added many years of golf and travel together, enjoying their retirement. Bob passed away in 2012.
Barb continued living in her home in Roosevelt Park until she met her third husband, Bob Scanlon, lovingly referred to by her kids as Bob 2.0. They celebrated the gift of a marriage in old age in 2016 by buying a condo together and going on many adventures to Florida and beyond. Bob passed away in April of 2025.
Barb grew up attending Muskegon Heights Christian Reformed Church and became a member at Calvin Church when the Muskegon Heights Church closed. She was blessed to attend and serve there for many years and in her later years was lovingly served and cared for by that church community.
Through the years Barb worked at various places–at Sealed Power as a stenographer, as an accomplished seamstress for Quigley Draperies, a receptionist at Ethan Allen Furniture Galleries and she retired from State Farm Insurance Company as an office assistant when she married Bob 1.0.
Barb loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren deeply and was quick to adopt all her stepchildren and their families into her circle.
Six months ago, after Bob's passing, Barb moved to Park Terrace senior apartments where she continued her lifelong enjoyment of watching Tiger baseball, knitting and making beautiful cards for birthdays and Christmas. An extra gift to her in her last six months was the love and companionship of her niece, Kristi Wickerink.
Barb is survived by her sister, Beverly (Dave) Kool; children, Cheryl (Jack ) VandenEnde, Dale (Shannon) Kroeze and Glenn (Theresa) Kroeze. She was also a loving grandmother and great grandmother to Sara Dickson and her children, Kris and Norah, Joel (Lin) VandenEnde and their children Dakota and Ian, Joshua (Anna) VandenEnde and their children Mae, Micah and Hugh, and Rachel (Jacob) Florence and their children Leila and Henry. She was preceded in death by her granddaughter, Rebekah VandenEnde, who passed away in 2002.
She was also preceded in death by her sister, Donna Wickerink in 2020; and brother-in-law, John Wickerink, in 2025.
Barb had a special place in her heart for her Scanlon stepchildren, Roger (Gayle) Scanlon, Ronald (Doreen) Scanlon and Rochelle (Don) Westhof; and for her Vanderleest stepchildren, Jean (Joe) Fodrocy, Barbara (Larry) Huber and Joan (Mark) Faino and their children and grandchildren.
A visitation for Barb Scanlon will be held on Thursday Dec 4 at 10:00 AM, at Calvin Christian Reformed Church, 973 W Norton Ave, Muskegon, MI. followed by a memorial service at 11:00 AM. A lunch reception will follow the service. All are welcome to attend and help celebrate Barb's life.
Memorial gifts may be designated to Calvin Church, Muskegon Christian School and Western Michigan Christian High School.
Share memories with the family at their online guestbook at https://www.sytsemafh.com. Arrangements by The Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral and Cremation Services, 6291 S. Harvey St, Norton Shores, MI 49444 (231) 798-1100