Ella Brinks-Byker

The best things in life are the nearest - breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, and the path of right just before you. Ella Brinks-Byker followed a path of right for 82 years. With God as her guide, she lived her life so that others would be able to follow this same path.

Blendon Township is a small, primarily Dutch community in Ottawa County, near Holland and Grand Haven. In 1923, it was the home of Cornelius and Anna (Visser) Bruins. Along with the rest of the country, they were enjoying the peace brought on by the end of World War I. Cornelius and Anna lived on a farm in North Blendon, and were busy caring for the farm and raising their five children. On March 29, 1923, Anna gave birth to their sixth child, a baby girl they name Ella. With the addition of two more children after Ella, the Bruins household was a busy place indeed.

With a farm to run and mouths to feed, every one had their share of chores to do, including Ella. But life was not all chores. In the winter, Ella liked to go ice-skating and one day fell and broke her arm. Not wanting her parents to know what happened, she kept the injury to herself, trying to take care of it the best she could. When her father did find out what happened he immediately took Ella to the doctor, but the arm had already started to heal. When she was nineteen, while sledding she was kicked in the mouth and lost most of her teeth. It seemed that Ella and winter activities were not on the best of terms.

Ella was a well-educated young lady, having graduated from Grand Rapids Christian High School, the Reformed Bible Institute in Grand Rapids, and went on to attend Calvin College. From there she took a teaching job in Ellsworth, Michigan, located in the extreme northwest of the state. During her summers off, Ella would return to Holland to work at H.J. Heinz. It was during one of these summers that she met a handsome young man named Harold Brinks, who also worked at Heinz. The two enjoyed each other's company, but Harold had enlisted in the Army and was soon shipped out. While Harold served his country, Ella went back to Ellsworth and her teaching job. However, the spark had been lit and the two corresponded as often as possible. Whenever Harold was granted a furlough, he always came home to see his Ella. On one occasion, he wrote and said he was coming home and wanted to surprise her. Well, they were both surprised. While Harold went to Ellsworth to see Ella, she had decided to go to Holland to meet him. True love won out and after dating through all Harold's time in the service, they were married on June 22, 1956 in Holland. Ella was 33 and Harold was 29. The only mix-up of the wedding was that Harold's father was late to the ceremony - he couldn't find his suspenders.

The newlyweds took a short honeymoon to the Smokey Mountains and then returned home, ready to start their new life together. Ella and Harold were blessed with four wonderful children - two beautiful daughters, Cheryl and Wanda, and two handsome sons, Jerry and Norman. Ella loved being a mother and spending time with her family. Traveling was a favorite pastime, and when all six of them piled into the family Dodge Dart, it was quite an experience. They regularly visited Ellsworth, where Ella had taught, and on Labor Day they would join other Michiganders in the annual walk across the Mackinac Bridge. Harold's sister lived in Kentucky, and they often went to visit her. When they took a trip to Arizona, it took them four days to get there, all squeezed together in their little trusty car. When not traveling, Ella could be found cooking and cleaning, and watching her favorite soap, "As The World Turns". Ella loved to cook and everyone looked forward to the big Sunday dinners with all the fixings. Even after the children were gone, the Sunday dinner tradition continued.

But the cornerstone of Ella's life was her strong faith in God, a faith that she shared with all her family. She was a member of the Pine Creek Christian Reformed Church where she had served as a Sunday school teacher, the church librarian, given her time to mission evangelism, and the Ladies Aid. On Saturday nights, the family would have devotions of their own, followed by one of Ella's special treats, like Red Danish Pudding. Ella's siblings also shared in these family devotions. On the first Sunday of the month, Ella and her brothers and sisters would take turns gathering at each other's homes for a time of devotion and sharing. After she got married, Ella had learned to play the organ, and many devotional times were started with "The Little Church in the Wildwood."

Tragedy struck in 1982 when Ella's beloved Harold died of colon cancer. Ella had remained at his side through out his battle and was devastated by his death. She remained a widow for eleven years until one day she received a phone call. The caller was Leonard Byker. He had been looking in the Banner and recognized her name from their days together at the Reformed Bible College years earlier. Both Ella and Leonard felt blessed by that phone call. They loved being together, acting almost as though they were teenagers again. Ella found happiness once again when she and Leonard were married on January 1, 1994 in Hudsonville, Michigan.

Leonard shared Ella's love of traveling and they took some trips of their own. They especially liked spending times with their new expanded family, as Leonard also had children. Unfortunately, as time went on both Ella and Leonard began experiencing health problems. Ella suffered a severe stroke on March 13, 1999, which left her unable to do her daily routine. Ella was later cared for at Resthaven in Holland and Leonard was in Cambridge Manor in Hudsonville. It was difficult for Ella to be separated from Leonard for the next two and a half years but her children made sure she was able to visit with Leonard every week. Sadly, Leonard passed away in 2005.

Ella Brinks-Byker was a caring and giving person, who cherished the time she spent with her family. She took special joy in her precious grandchildren and great grandchildren. Ella will be lovingly remembered for her kind and generous nature as well as her deep commitment to her faith and her family.

Ella Brinks-Byker age 82 of Holland died Saturday, March 25, 2006 at Resthaven Care Center in Holland. Ella was preceded in death by her husbands-Harold Brinks in 1982 and Leonard Byker in 2005. Surviving are her children- Cheryl Mc Neely of Holland, Wanda and Mark Prins of Fennville, Jerry and Yolanda Brinks of Fennville, and Norman Brinks of Bartlett, TN; 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren; stepchildren-Dennis and Karen Byker of Hudsonville, Marvin Byker of Alaska, Bernard and Joyce Byker of Hudsonville, Lois and Mark Houskamp of Caledonia, James and Diane Byker of Zeeland and Larry and Kris Byker of Dorr; 15 step grandchildren and 3 step great grandchildren; sister-Tena Klomp of Zeeland; in-laws-Henry Ver Lee of Hudsonville, Sandy and Larry Madden of Grayhawk, KY, George Brinks of Grand Haven, and Bob Brinks of Holland; and several nephews, nieces, and cousins. Services will be held at 11 am Wednesday at the Pine Creek Christian Reformed Church with the Rev. Jeff Vorhees officiating. Burial will be in the Restlawn Memorial Gardens. Visiting will be 2-4 and 7-9 pm Tuesday at the Dykstra Life Story Funeral Homes-Northwood Chapel 295 Douglas Ave.; Holland, MI. Please visit Ella's personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory, sign the online guest book or make a memorial contribution. Memorial contributions may be made to Resthaven Care Center or Reformed Bible College.