Another Great One Is Gone: Jennie Veldt

    Jennie Veldt died last week, June 24. She was 93...and we loved her. 

    Her husband, Don "Doc" Veldt, was on staff when I (and Brother and Sister-In-Law) attended Grand Rapids Baptist College. (Now called Cornerstone.) We developed a close relationship with him and Jennie over the years -- which only grew deeper over the months the Brick and I played/sang at the church, North Chester Baptist, that Doc and Jennie pastored. (One of the few positive results of that long period we spent in Michigan during The Mama's sickness and death.) 

     Jennie was kind, sharing and simply an elegant woman. I admired her very much.

Her service last Friday is below. 

Here's her obituary:

Genevieve “Jenny” Veldt age 93 of Casnovia, MI died Wednesday, June 24, 2026 peacefully at home. She was born February 8, 1933 in Amber Township, Mason County, MI the daughter of the late Nels Peter and Agda Margarita (Westin) Knudsen. She graduated from Scottville High School in 1951, completed a certificate in Biblical Studies at Grand Rapids Baptist Bible Institute (now Cornerstone University), and received her Elementary Teaching Certificate from Western Michigan University. She taught elementary school in Kent and Kalamazoo counties until their first child was adopted. In August, 1957 she married Donald Veldt, of Kalamazoo, who survives. Also surviving are her daughters, Loralene M. Veldt of Rockford, Lynnette E. (Patrick) James of Goodyear, AZ, Kristina K. (Keith) Kutzli of Sparta, Kathleen D. (Ray) Weidmann of Belmont; daughter-in-law, Karen Veldt of Comstock Park; 15 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her son, Peter James Veldt; sisters, Elsa M. Morris (Rex), Barbara A. Knudsen; and great grandson, Easton David Kutzli.

Jenny enjoyed being a mother, a grandma, and a great grandma. We will all feel her loss deeply but know that she is now without pain and discomfort and in the presence of her precious Lord. Read these words she wrote for you: “I want to thank the Lord for the wonderful family He gave me. They will all join me some day in heaven. I have now met my Savior face-to-face and fallen at His feet to worship Him. And then, I expect to embrace my son Pete, my sisters, and my parents. I look forward to that “forever” time to renew relationships with so many friends. I hope all of you will be there too.”

In addition to her family and teaching, Jenny thrived in serving the Lord in multiple ways as a Sunday school teacher, AWANA leader, camp counselor, teacher of women’s Bible studies, and in many other ways along with her husband in the churches where they were members in this country, and in mission churches and schools overseas. She especially loved the trips to Europe to assist individual missionaries, churches and schools from 4 weeks to 12 months at a time. The family would like to thank Faith Hospice for the wonderful care Jenny received.

The family will greet friends 10:00 am Friday, July 3 at North Chester Baptist Church, 23231 16th Avenue Casnovia, MI where the services will follow at 11:00 am. Officiating Pastor Don Veldt. Interment Algoma Township Cemetery. Memorial contributions in Jenny’s honor may be made to Shalom, Inc., PO Box 265, Kalamazoo, MI 49004 or to Women At Risk International, 2790 44th St SW, Wyoming, MI 49519.

Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Recovering from the Fourth

     It was fun watching the 'State Fair' celebration on tv, particularly the flyovers. We recognized several places we'd just been to a week or so ago. But did I want to be on hand for all the hoopla? NO WAY.  It's been hot and muggy enough here. 

     Both the Brick and myself have been feeling wornout since we got home earlier last week. Maybe it was the hours and hours of driving...or the hot weather...or the 11 states (plus D.C.) and thousands of miles we did. It always takes some time to re-adapt to the altitude. (We live at roughly 8600 ft.) I probably compounded the fatigue by asking friends over to celebrate the Fourth -- but we (and they) enjoyed ourselves.

     A dear friend died a few weeks ago, and we could not go to her funeral on Friday. That felt terrible. We've had several fires, not close to us, thankfully, but close enough to darken the sky and give the air an irritating effect. Some, like the Aspen Acres Fire, are only an hour or so away. 

     Fortunately, I have a few days beffore the next appraisal sessions. I'll take those to catch up on some writing/editing, clothes washing, etc. Maybe a nap or two, as well.

P.S. The U.S. lost to Belgium in the World Cup. Darn.

No fireworks for us this year -- the fire danger is too extreme. 

Meanwhile:

A Bicentennial time capsule opened!    Now they're looking for contributions to the next time capsule...

Forty thousand pounds of Frank's RedHot Sauce blankets the interstate in Ohio.  Where's the mac and cheese??

A very rare printing of the Declaration of Independence...discovered in a British ship's papers!

'Lightning Kills Makeup Mogul's Yak.'  Nope, I'm not making this up. Says Jeffree Star (who is a bit of an oddity himself), "He was more than just a yak."

Homemade toaster strudels.   While you're at it on her site, check out the "how to stay cool without air conditioning" post. We're all going to need it this summer. (Thanks, Little House Living.)

Some fascinating ancient artifacts...including this church, with a curved 'St. Andrews Cross' effect. (This shows up as a setting in quilts, as well. Know what it's called that? Because St. Andrew was martyred on a cross shapred like this.) 

Have a temper tantrum because a Denver BBQ restaurant plays the national anthem every day... and has been doing so for years.  (Be sure to march out, protesting loudly -- then afterwards, admit that they have the right to do this. See what happens.)

Hey Girl posts from yours truly, collected over the years:

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

(I know. Pathetic.)

Gabby Barrett, the country star who says she slept in a car before American Idol changed her career.

"And it's really just like, you know, the author has not given us the script for everything," Barrett continued. "We don't have the blueprint of life right in front of us. And so we just have to trust God even in those uncomfortable circumstances… I've had uncomfortable circumstances, I'm sure, like we all have. And I've gotten past them as time moves on. And then I look back, and I actually can peel some valuable things, even though it didn't feel good at the time, I still made it through. And so, just again, trusting, having faith that God has a plan for your life that's bigger than you can see right now."   -- Gabby Barrett

Have a good week. 

A Prayer from Our First President -- For the Fourth

 

Happy 250th, America!

 

They're probably surprised we made it...but we did!

Dead Beat and Plum Tuckered Out

     Back in the saddle again...but tired.

    We've been on vacation with our dear friends: 12 states in a little more than 2 weeks, including Gettysburg, Washington D.C. and Williamsburg (which was a bust). We left D.C. on the heels of people flooding in for the Fourth...what a madhouse that is going to be!

We finished up by visiting the Ark Encounter in Kentucky.  The last day was a 15 1/2 hour drive to get home. The Brick and yours truly (our friends, as well, I'm guessing) are putting away things, and catching up on sleep. 

More to tell soon. Glad to be home, loving the puppies up and sleeping in our own bed.

Trombone Love

 

In case you're wondering what the heck is going on here -- he was practicing his trombone, and had his phone on record while texting. Whoops.

Romeo and Juliet

 A brand-new version of the 'Romeo and Juliet' ballet... with a cat!

"The cat will mew, and dog have his day."

                  William Shakespeare, Hamlet

(More kitty-related Shakespeare here.)