Pat VanHemert
Class of 1968
(April 9, 1950 – July 6, 2010)
Pat VanHemert passed away on July 6, 2010 at Faith Hospice’s beautiful Trillium Woods facility in Byron Center.
She was born on April 9, 1950 in Fremont to Harvey and Barbara (DeWitte) VanHemert. Upon her 1968 graduation from Fremont High School, Pat attended Ferris State College in Big Rapids, where she earned a degree in executive secretarial services. Pat’s almost 40-year career as a legal professional began at a three-lawyer firm in Fremont, and ended at the largest law firm in Michigan, with stops at firms large and small along the way. Pat was a respected co-worker and peer leader at a time when the role of the legal secretary was only starting to be recognized as a professional specialty, passing the rigorous examination to achieve Professional Legal Secretary Certification in 1980 as well as earning awards as Grand Rapids Legal Secretary of the Year in 1985 and Michigan Legal Professional of the Year in 1991.
Pat’s personal passions included reading, shopping and traveling. There were always stacks of books and magazines in her home in the process of being read. Pat shifted her own “clothes horse” habits from her early years to shopping with her beloved nieces during their (pre-) teen years. Her travels ranged near and far, from a European tour with her mother to a family “road trip” to favorite childhood vacation spots along the Lake Michigan shoreline in her final month.
She is survived by her mother, Barbara of Fremont and Apache Junction, Arizona; two brothers, Michael VanHemert of Northville and William VanHemert of Ferndale; two sisters, Peggy Maki of Trenary and Melissa Bunce of Caledonia; and six nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in passing by her father, Harvey in December 1993; and her brother, Alex VanHemert in November 2009.
A celebration of Pat’s life was held on Saturday, July 10 at the Stroo Funeral Home in Cutlerville. In lieu of flowers, Pat requested that contributions be made to the local chapter of the National Association of Legal Secretaries (NALS), made payable and mailed as follows: NALS of West Michigan, c/o Rebecca Quimby, (Pat VanHemert Fund), Warner, Norcross and Judd LLP, 111 Lyon Street NW - Suite 900, Grand Rapids MI 49503-2487.
http://obits.mlive.com/obituaries/grandrapids/obituary.aspx?n=pat-vanhemert&pid=143971477&fhid=10156
4/1/2009 Times Indicator Article (p. 10)
Times Indicator