Class of 1936 – Jim and Helen (Wyngarden) Haveman

Fremont couple to celebrate 70 years of marriage

By Bruce and Mary Haveman

Jim and Helen Haveman of Fremont plan to celebrate 70 years of marriage soon.

Married on July 9, 1940, the couple have lived in the same one-owner home in Fremont ever since it was built in 1946. Both were born in the Fremont area and have spent most of their lives here. Both are graduates of Fremont High School, Class of 1936. Jim grew up in Muskegon, but moved back to Fremont in 1933. Helen Wyngarden was raised in the Reeman area.

During and after high school, Jim worked for Reber’s Men’s Wear. After graduation from high school, Helen worked at Gerber Products on the production line, and also at the Fremont Co-op.

After she was married to Jim, Helen worked at Mattie Reber’s Dress Shop on Main Street, where the current Side Street Cafe is located, next door to Reber’s Men’s Wear, where Jim worked.

On April 9, 1943, Jim was drafted into the U.S. Navy. He served during World War II in the South Pacific aboard the USS Weaver, a destroyer escort which earned nine battle stars. From the Weaver’s deck, the crew witnessed the formal Japanese surrender while anchored near the USS Missouri in Tokyo harbor.

Before shipping out, Jim wrote Helen a letter telling her he was in San Pedro, Cal. He knew that this was against regulations, but he did it anyway. Helen took a train from Muskegon to Chicago to Los Angeles, then a bus to San Pedro. This was on New Year’s Eve 1943, and it was a rowdy ride to California. She was a girl from Reeman, all alone!

When she got to San Pedro, she found a hotel room and wrote a postcard to Jim on the ship, telling him that she was in town. At this point, Jim’s commanding officer found out that Jim had written to her and was quite upset about it. He told Jim that, as a punishment, he could restrict Jim to the ship for a week, but instead he gave Jim a day off to spend with Helen. They saw each other a total of three times (once when he actually brought his dirty laundry to her to wash) before he shipped out.

She was standing in the park on the channel as the ship pulled away for the South Pacific and they waved good-bye to each other. She packed up and returned to Michigan on the train. Later, in November of 1945, they were reunited in Chicago after Jim’s discharge from Great Lakes Naval Base. Helen met Jim at the Harrison Hotel and after a few days they happily returned to Fremont to resume civilian life.

In 1949, Jim had an opportunity to become a partner at Vredeveld’s Shoes with George Vredeveld and his son, Glen. When the senior Vredeveld died in 1953, the store was then owned by the two partners, Glen and Jim.

Jim served as a director of the Fremont Chamber of Commerce and was on the original Old Fashioned Days Committee. Jim retired from the shoe business after 31 years in 1980.

While Jim worked long hours and served in many church, school and civic duties, Helen was also busy as a housewife. She kept an immaculate house both inside and out, sewed most of her and her families’ clothing, tended a large flower, fruit and vegetable garden, canned and froze food for her family and served many delicious meals. Among other activities, each winter she worked endless hours making an ice skating rink in the backyard for her kids to enjoy. In the summer she and Jim took their family on many camping trips and sight-seeing vacations across the country.

The couple have been active at Second Fremont Christian Reformed Church where Jim has served as both a deacon and elder. Jim has also served on the Fremont Christian School board several terms and spent 10 years as a member of the Newaygo County Tax Allocation Board.

In retirement, the couple wintered in the Bradenton, Fla. area for 17 years. Jim has been active in woodworking and has displayed his work at a recent Fremont arts fair. Helen’s flower gardens are the highlight of a drive along Oak Street.

We praise God for His many blessings and loving care through all the years.

The couple have two children, Bruce (Karen) Haveman, and Mary Haveman. They also have two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

They plan to celebrate their 70 years together with an open house given by their children at the Second Fremont Christian Reformed Church, on Saturday, July 10, from 2-4 p.m.

Jim and Helen would love to have you stop by the church for cake and ice cream, and to share their special day.

6/30/2010 Times Indicator Article (p. 3)
Times Indicator

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