Steve John Vreeman

Steven John Vreeman entered into his eternal rest on the morning of August 13, 2024, surrounded by his family, at Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska, due to complications from a struggle with cancer and heart issues.
Steve was born the seventh of ten children to Gary and Nicki Vreeman on May 30, 1956 in Sheldon, Iowa. Early in his childhood the family moved to Holland, Michigan, to operate the Christian Reformed Conference Grounds in Grand Haven, where Steve would spend his formative years serving guests and attending Holland Christian School. Having spent so much of his childhood in and around it, Lake Michigan remained one his great loves.
Like nearly all of his siblings, Steve attended Dordt College in his father's hometown of Sioux Center Iowa, where he met Jean Stravers, who would become his wife. They were both excellent musicians, and in later years they would often recount to their children the joy they had playing and singing together in the Dordt choirs and wind bands. Steve would continue to serve the church as a strong and capable singer for the rest of his life.
Steve and Jean were married August 12, 1978 and after brief stints in California and Iowa, in 1981 they packed up everything they owned and drove their with two young sons to Alaska, the place that Steve had dreamed of moving to since he was a child. His parents had moved to Anchorage not long before them, and some of his siblings did come and go as well, but Steve and Jean remained to build their life and family in Anchorage. In Alaska, God would bless them with six more children over the next decade. Steve and his family were faithful members of the church, first at Trinity CRC in Anchorage, and then as one of the founding families of Anchorage Faith OPC (now Faith Presbyterian Church – PCA). The children were shaped by the fact that church loomed so large in their lives, and that Steve and Jean would sacrifice so greatly through the years to educate them all in Christian schools.
The family that Steve built was one characterized by deep family tradition, hard work, and unwavering loyalty and commitment to one another. Though the details were varied, his most passionate work commonly returned to tourism, sharing with everyone his ardent love of the beautiful state he had called his own. He will be remembered by all for his ebullient personality, hearty laugh, and penchant for telling riveting stories with just a little too much detail. Ever welcoming, his kid's friends would feel at ease stopping by unannounced for hamburgers on a Saturday night, and it was not uncommon for him to be treated unexpectedly to life stories from complete strangers. His children especially will remember his ability to learn anything, his grand ideas and perpetual optimism, and the enormous pride he took in them and their accomplishments. But more than anything, he will be remembered as a faithful follower of Jesus Christ, and one who strove to pass that faith to his family.
Steve is survived by his wife Jean of 46 years, his eight children Isaiah Vreeman, Zachary Vreeman (Meagan) of Casper, WY, Andrea Pelenato (Lamu), Reuben Vreeman (Kaylee) of Spokane, WA, Shiloh Werner (Stephen), Amos Vreeman, Gideon Vreeman (Mariah), and Hannah Vreeman, eleven grandchildren, and his six siblings Willie Ahrenholz (Dave), Rev. Jerry Vreeman (Cori), Tom Vreeman (Jacki), Mary Huizenga (Alan), Fred Vreeman (Jan), and Joan Rhodes (Jim). He was preceded in death by his parents Gary (1983) and Nicki (1998), and his siblings Betty (2024), Jane (1995), and Joel (1998).
A memorial service will be held at Faith Presbyterian Church in Anchorage on Tuesday, August 20, at 4pm. Steve's body will be buried at the Angelus Memorial Park Cemetery in Anchorage.