Janet L. Polet

Janet L. Polet, age 92, of Holland, passed away Monday, November 7, 2022.
In 1951, a 21-yr old woman, Jantje Buursma, took the most momentous step of her life. She decided to leave her parents from her hometown of Ferwerd, Friesland, Netherlands to join a man (James Polet) whom she met 2 and a half years earlier and who had moved to Canada 6 months after they met. She arrived in Winnipeg, Manitoba with a sense of adventure and the hope of a better life. In 1952, she married Jim, anglicized her name to Janet, and started a family history that had its share of adventures and hardships, laughter and loss. Throughout her nearly 70 years of marriage, Janet's fierce determination continued up until her final moments on November 7, when she passed away at the age of 92.
In 1958, with three children, a station wagon, and a small amount of money, Jim and Janet immigrated to Holland, Michigan, sponsored by her brother who lived there. In the subsequent years, they had three more children. Through the challenges of those years of establishing a house in a new country, finding new friends, and raising a large family, Janet served as the bedrock for the Polet household, managing it carefully through lean times, while still creating a welcoming home for family and visitors alike.
After first attending Maple Avenue CRC, Janet and her husband Jim were faithful members of 14th Street CRC for over 50 years, a community that has occupied a central place in her heart. She loved her church, especially the music and the fellowship. And she gave back to the community: making meals and almond cakes for the sick, knitting baby hats and blankets, and watching the children of younger members who needed a break. Her home was always open, the coffee pot on, and a deck of cards or Scrabble board on the table.
She was preceded in death by a grandson, Benjamin Spoelstra, in 1980.
Janet is survived by her:
Husband of 70 years, James Polet
Children
Joanne (Fred) Spoelstra
Tom (Jodi) Polet
Ingrid (Phil) Klaasen
Brian (Sandy) Polet
Jeff (Yolanda) Polet
David Polet and Paige Hawkins
20 Grandchildren
33 Great Grandchildren
Funeral services are planned for 11:00am Saturday, November 12, at Fourteenth Street Christian Reformed Church, 14 W 14th St., Holland. Rev. Benj Petroelje will officiate. Burial will be in Restlawn Memorial Gardens. Visitation is scheduled for 4:00-7:00pm Friday, November 11 at Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 E 16th St., Holland. Memorial contributions may be made to Holland Christian Schools and Hospice of Holland. Condolences may be left online at www.langelandsterenberg.com.