Obituary of Ruth Vida Rozema

Ruth Vida (Smitter) Rozema, 93, of Shoreline, Washington, died of congestive heart failure on January 31, 2024 at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Leann Rozema. 

Ruth was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on May 25, 1930, to Lee and Sadie Smitter. In her large and loving family, Ruth is preceded in death by her sisters Faith, Joy, Nancy, her brother Cal, and her twin sister Rhoda. She is survived by her sisters June Vellenga and Carol Kooistra.

In 1950, Ruth married Wesley James Rozema, whom she met on a blind date after drawing the short straw. The young couple moved west, raising a family in Zuni, New Mexico, and Flagstaff, Arizona. Ruth was a homemaker and a registered nurse; Wes taught Mathematics at Northern Arizona University. They were both active in the Christian Reformed Church and were founding members of Hope Community Church in Flagstaff, Arizona.

They had five children, twelve grandchildren, and fourteen great-grandchildren. Wes passed away in 2010. Ruth is survived by Carole McMurray (Jim, who has passed), Marjorie Campos (Ruben), David Rozema (Judy), Ellen Willsey (Les), and Mark Rozema (Leann). 

Ruth loved to sew, golf, read, and paint. She loved organizing picnics in the woods and deserts of Arizona. She loved to sing. And she really loved to go fishing. Among many other things, she will be remembered for her devotion to family, her honesty, her helpfulness, her beautiful soprano voice, her sweet tooth, and her sense of humor. 

Her favorite hymn was “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”