Betty Stammis

Betty Lynn Stammis (nee Pater), 82, of Crown Point, Indiana, peacefully passed away on February 23, 2023 in Jenison, MI, surrounded by her children. She was born on July 5, 1940, in Baarn, Netherlands. Living her first five years under German occupation in Holland, the Pater family lived in extreme poverty. In 1956, her father Cors made the decision to move their family – including their eight children - to the United States; they were sponsored by Reverend Buursma of Munster CRC in Munster, IN. Cors was initially employed at a steel mill, but when that ended due to a labor strike, he began street vending farm fresh eggs and chickens on Chicago’s southside, a family venture that required everyone’s efforts. Even though Betty had only attended grammar school in the Netherlands, she tested and was accepted into Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. After completing her secondary ed. degree, she taught German at both West Michigan Christian and Illiana Christian High Schools. She married Bernard Stammis on August 18, 1967. In addition to her days teaching high school, Betty also taught language arts at Highland Christian School, and eventually worked in the banking industry. Betty gave countless hours of herself throughout the years providing sidewalk counseling to young women experiencing crisis pregnancy, leading women’s Bible studies at church, as well as women’s prison ministry at the Lake County Jail. She is preceded in death by her parents Cors and Margaret Pater, by her loving husband of 55 years, Bernard Stammis, and by her brother Calvin (Gerritt) Pater. Betty is survived by two sisters, Claire (Gary) Turner of Denver, CO, and Margaret (Mark) Franklin of Eugene, OR; by four brothers, Tony Pater of Bradenton, FL, Raymond (Marcia) Pater of Grand Rapids, MI, Adrian (Joy) Pater of Greer, MS; and Casey (Laura) Pater of Kennesaw, GA; as well as by her three children, John (Dawn) Stammis of Highland, IN, Brent (Becky) Stammis of Kentwood, MI, and Mary Beth (Randy) Vander Molen of Colorado Springs, CO; and by ten grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. There will be a visitation on Thursday, March 2, 2023 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Memory Lane Funeral Home 6305 W. Lincoln Hwy, Crown Point, IN 46307. The Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. with a burial to follow. A luncheon will be held at First CRC in Crown Point afterwards.

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Betty Stammis

July 5, 1940 - February 23, 2023