January 28, 1927 – May 12, 2022
information provided by Smits Funeral Home
Shirley Catherine Verbeek, nee Hoekstra, age 95, of Crete, IL passed away on Thursday, May 12, 2022. Beloved wife of the late Albert Verbeek. Loving mother of the late Caryn Sue Verbeek, Thea (Don) Stienstra, and Julie (Jamie) Drew. Cherished grandmother of Carrie (Roberto) Rossi, Allen (Amy) Stienstra, Jeff (Amanda) Stienstra, Scott (Becky) Stienstra, Kristi (Phil) Groenewold, and Lauren (Jonathan) Jackson; great-grandmother of Matteo, Lydia, Ethan, Isaac, Tyler, Kate, Olivia, Elijah, Ruby, Payton, Cameron, Taylor, Jordan, and Eli. Dear sister of the late Lowell Richard Hoekstra; sister-in-law of the late T.M. DeJong. Preceded in death by her parents Richard Lowell and Clara Hoekstra. She was loved by many and will be deeply missed.
Shirley grew up in Roseland, attended Roseland Christian School, Chicago Christian High School and Fox Business College. She grew up at 2nd Christian Reformed Church (where her father, R.L. Hoekstra was the organist) and became a member of Thorn Creek Reformed Church (formerly 1st Reformed Church of Roseland) when she married Albert. She sang in the church choir and was involved in many other activities there. She and Al were members of the Tysen Sunday School Class that stayed together as lifelong friends.
Shirley worked for her father’s Hoekstra Real Estate company for many years and was a long time Personal Banker at Pullman Bank and later worked at The Shopper Paper in South Holland.
Shirley focused her life on her family and enjoyed many years of fun with them at Shady Shores on Gun Lake in Michigan. She was a Prayer Warrior for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren along with many others. She had a great compassionate and generous heart for others; supporting missionaries and many other Christian organizations. She was a lifelong Christian example to her family and everyone she met.
Visitation Tuesday, May 17, 2022, from 9 a.m. until time of the funeral service at 11 a.m. at Smits Funeral Home, 2121 Pleasant Springs Lane, Dyer, IN. Interment Chapel Hill Gardens South – Oak Lawn, IL. Memorial contributions to Moody Radio or Phil’s Friends Indiana Hope Center (1249 Arrowhead Court, Crown Point, IN 46307) are greatly appreciated.
For more information, please call 219-322-7300 or visit our online obituary and guestbook at www.SMITSFH.com.
