Marguerite "Sammie" Vander Houwen

Marguerite Mary "Sammie" Vander Houwen went to heaven to meet her Saviour Jesus Christ, and reunite with her beloved husband Nick, on December 26, 2022. She was born to parents Nathan and Eva Hoffer on May 9th, 1938, one of 7 children. Sammie as she was known to all, was her mother's helper and a second mother to her brothers and sisters. When she was a little girl, she loved to listen to a radio program, in which the main character's name was Sammie. Her father and mother began to call her Sammie and it stuck. She attended school at Wapato and graduated from Wapato High School. She then began studying at St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing.

As she was applying herself to her studies, she met a handsome Dutchman. He persuaded her to marry him instead of becoming a nurse and she agreed. Nick and Sammie were the first couple to be married at Englewood Christian Church on April 18, 1958.

Lena, Julie and Ted arrived and the family lived on an apple ranch on Naches Heights. Sammie was a firm crew boss for the orchard while Nick ran the warehouse, all with the help of their children. Sammie loved to cook, preserve foods, sew and knit. She won many ribbons and prizes at the fair, sweeping some categories completely. Sammie was also a proficient hunter providing deer and elk for her family's larder.

After Nick's untimely passing in 2007, Sammie Loved spending time with her family, watching the Seahawks, enjoying hummingbirds, growing succulents, sharing her chocolates, birdwatching, collecting cobalt blue glass, reading avidly, and she loved Chocolate. She enjoyed her friends at Bimart, Fred Meyer and the coffee shop. She loved to be teased, and would tease right back no matter the subject. She loved meeting people and always had a kind word and two hugs, for anyone who was struggling.

Sammie was preceded in death by her husband Nick, parents Nathan and Eve Hoffer, and Father and Mother in law Lenard and Mildred Vander Houwen. She is survived by her beloved children and grandchildren, Lena and Doug Cowin, (Larissa and Sam Breismeister, Scott and Stephanie Cowin, Faith and Nate Robinson) Julie and Joel McCray, (Kyle and Heather McCrory, Koty McCrory and Haley Tebbe) and Ted and Carol Vander Houwen, (John and Beth Vander Houwen, Henry and Jannah Vander Houwen) 12 precious great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, family, friends and neighbors too numerous to count.

There will be a celebration of life Thursday, January 5th at 10 am., at Englewood Christian Church 511 N. 44th Ave. Yakima, Wa. 98908. Graveside to follow, 1 pm at Terrace Heights Memorial Park. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.keithandkeith.com for the Vander Houwen family.