Rita Darleen Vander Vliet, age 75, of Holland, went to be with her Lord and Savior on August 26, 2025, after a courageous battle with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA).
Rita was born on September 24, 1949, the firstborn to Ken and Mick Northouse, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Growing up in Jenison, Rita graduated from Unity Christian High School. It was there that she met her future husband, Bill Vander Vliet. After getting married and graduating from Calvin College, Bill and Rita moved to the Detroit area where Rita taught elementary school at Southfield Christian while Bill was in medical school. After moving to Grand Rapids for Bill to complete his residency, they started their family, giving birth to Joel and then Bethany. Their next move took them to Big Rapids where Rebecca was born. In 1986, they moved to Holland. Rita worked hard raising her young family and also worked as the manager for the Holland Chorale.
Rita returned to teaching after the kids were all in school. She taught many years at Holland Christian Schools, primarily as an eighth-grade teacher. After retirement, Rita volunteered at numerous organizations including The Bridge, Community Action House, Kids Hope USA, Holland Public Schools, Christ Memorial Church and Young Lives.
Bill and Rita were married over 50 years before Rita was preceded in death by Bill in May of 2024. Rita was also predeceased by her parents, in-laws William and Shirley Vander Vliet, sister Lori Harrington and three nephews. Rita is survived by a family that loves and misses her: children Joel (Kelly) Vander Vliet, Bethany (Colin) Mulder, Rebecca (Brad) Kuipers, and grandchildren Mila and Willow Vander Vliet, Abby (fiancé Charlie Morton), Henry and Johanna Mulder, Josh, Luke, Gabe and Sam Kuipers. She will also be missed by her sister Terri (Harlan) Byker, brother Ken (Cheryl) Northouse, brother-in-law Tom Harrington, in-laws Vonna (Dave) VanWyk, Brad (Darleen) Vander Vliet and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
Visitation with the family is from 6:00-8:00 pm on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at Langeland Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 E. 16th St. Holland, MI 49423.
Memorial services are at 1:00 pm on Friday, August 29, 2025, at Christ Memorial Church, 595 Graafschap Rd. Holland, MI 49423, in the chapel.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Camp Shout Out, PO Box 5336, Muskegon, MI 49445, or Hospice of Holland, Inc., 270 Hoover Blvd., Holland, MI 49423.
The family also wishes to extend a special thank you to the wonderful caregivers at Anchor Home Health Care, her overnight care team and her nurses and aides at Hospice of Holland for the wonderful care they provided for our mom over the past year and a half.
Burial to take place in Pilgrim Home Cemetery.
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