Bernice A. Shoup

Bernice (Bea) Shoup grew up in an era where hard work, diligence, and determination were important survival tools; especially when you lived on a farm just before, through, and after the depression. She carried that work ethic through her life and taught her children accordingly. It was fitting that she left this life with the same focus and diligence that she had lived it; determined to finish the race well until she entered into the presence of her Lord and Savior. Her life began on June 6, 1926 in Lynden, WA as the youngest daughter of the late William & Martha (Post) Roosendaal. We said our goodbyes to her on Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at the age of 94. In mid-December of 1941 Bernice, her brother, sister, and mother drove from the State of Washington to Michigan, with all their belongings in the car, to join other members of her mother’s family. Bernice was in her sophomore year of high school when she arrived in Kalamazoo so she completed her education by graduating from Kalamazoo Central in 1944. Upon graduation she went to work for Michigan Bell Telephone Company and worked there for 10 years. In 1953 she married Glenn C. Shoup Jr. and they were married for 52 1/2 years. They had 3 children; Pamela, Glenn C. Shoup III, and Todd Shoup. After Glenn’s retirement from Eaton Corp, he and Bea delivered autos for various dealerships in the Kalamazoo area, but primarily for Cole Automotive. Bea ended up driving for Cole Automotive for 27 1/2 years and retired at the age of 85 1/2. Industrious Bea canned and froze vegetables grown in a very large garden that fed the family all winter long. She also canned and froze fruits that were picked from local orchards and some grown in that same garden. She made all of the jams and jellies the family enjoyed. She also baked several loaves of bread weekly, along with one or two pies a week. Bea is very well known for her exemplary pies that she continued to bake up until the last couple of months of her life. With all the years she had baked pies, she was always open to learning new methods and new combinations of fruits and ingredients to make her pies even better. Bea loved to sew and made most of her own clothes, as well as the clothing her children grew up in. Her other passion was knitting. Bea wasn’t one to just sit; she had to be doing something productive and worthwhile as she sat waiting at appointments, riding in the car, watching her sons Little League games, or watching TV in the evenings. She knit beautiful, meticulously made sweaters for her children, great grandchildren, herself, baby outfits for nieces and nephews, or at the request of other family members and close friends. Her abilities were incredible! She was known to take a picture of a sweater, or a design that someone wanted on a sweater, go home and from that photograph she would draw the design on graph paper, and then knit it! The family would joke about her perfectionist mindset; there were times that she pulled sections of a project out and reknit it so many times that she actually wore the yarn out and had to buy more to be able to finish it. For the last several years she knit many different baby blankets, baby car seat covers, and lap blankets, that were given to young mothers who were part of the Young Lives Program in the high schools in the Holland area. The most impressive part of her knitting career was done during COVID when she knit 35 stocking caps of various styles, colors, and sizes that she donated to a local ministry through Haven Church for distribution to needy children this winter in the Kalamazoo area. Her hands never stopped working! Bea’s other passion was playing Bridge. It was that very special group of women that she spent hours with that supported, encouraged and loved on her with flowers, calls, and cards up until her last day. In fact, she was able to play Bridge one last time about three weeks before her passing. It was a great blessing for her to be able to do so, but the members of her group were extremely grateful to spend that one last time with her. Bernice was preceded in death by her husband, Glenn C. Jr., son Glenn C. Shoup III, Grandson Glenn C. Shoup IV, brother, Albert and wife, Mary Nell Roosendaal, sister Jenny and husband, Charles Kearney, nephew, Jeffrey Kearney, her parents, and infant brother, Robert Roger Roosendaal. She is survived by: daughter, Pamela (Larry) Howard; son, Todd (Tammy) Shoup; and daughter-in-law, Jennifer (Shoup) Pugh. Grandchildren; Marie (Lemont) Platt, Andrea (Josh) Dornbos, Revs. Glenn (Ben) & (Megan) Shoup, Ryan (Danielle) Shoup & Ian Shoup. Seven great-grand children, three nieces and one nephew. Bea also leaves behind her precious neighbors and friends of 53 years, Fred and Barb Miller. The Millers blessed and cared for Bea in many ways over the years, but especially during the last 14 years after she lost her husband. Not only were they a special gift to Bernice, their constant loving care, deeds, and kindness extended out to the entire family! Bernice was a long-time member of Centerpoint Church, but for the last eight years she was richly blessed by the community at Haven Church where she attended. Visitation will be held on April 9th, 2021 at 9:45am at Haven Reformed Church, 5350 N. Sprinkle Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49004, followed by a Memorial Service led by Rev. Mical Pugh at 11:00am. A light lunch will be offered at the church immediately following the Memorial Service. Following the luncheon, Bernice will be laid to rest at Fort Custer National Cemetery at 3:00 p.m. with a maximum of 25 attendees. In accordance with Covid-19 restrictions, all attendees must wear facemasks, and observe social distancing guidelines. While visiting Bernice's obituary, please take time to sign her guestbook by lighting a candle and/or sharing a memory with her family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hospice of Southwest Michigan, Lake City Christian Reformed Church’s Back Packs for Kids Program, or Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes. Bernice's family is being cared for at the Avink Funeral Home & Cremation Society, 5975 Lovers Lane, Portage, MI 49002 (269) 344-5600.