Joanne, "It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name..." Psalm 92.
Now forever singing the songs and hymns she loved, on January 1, 1998, in her 66th year, while visiting her son in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, the Lord called home Joanne (Johanna ) VanderPloeg (nee Bax), beloved mother of Bob VanderPloeg of Sioux Lookout; mother-in-law of Lori VanderPloeg (nee Wilson) and Tracy Roswell (girlfriend of Fred); endearing and insightful grandmother of Jacob, William and Caleb VanderPloeg of Thunder Bay. Joanne was predeceased by her husband Bill VanderPloeg in January 1995, her mother Adriana (Verhoog) Bax in 1996, brother Jim Bax in 1994 and brother-in-law Bert Hummelen in 1975. Joanne is also survived by her father Jacob Cornelius Bax of Chatham to whom she was a devoted and delightful daughter; dear sister of Mary Hummelen, Margaret and Albert Herfst and Jean and Peter VanHelden all of Chatham; Gertie and Adrian Wielhouwer of Owen Sound; Ruth Bax of Mount Forest; Clarence and Lorraine Bax of Thornhill; Art and Barb Bax of Walkerton; Bernie and Tina Bax of Sarnia, Herb and Jannette Bax of Thunder Bay, Hank and Margriet Bax of Thamesford and Fred Bax of Toronto. Joanne's brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law will fondly remember her including Bert and Leny VanderPloeg of Strathroy, Coby VanderPloeg, Paul and Mary VanderPloeg all of Mount Brydges and Jane VanderPloeg of London. Joanne is also survived by many nephews and nieces, who will always remember her for her thoughtfulness.
Friends will be received at the Murray Bowman Funeral Home, 4 Victoria Avenue, Chatham (352-2390), on Monday 2-4 and 7-9 pm. Funeral service will be conducted , from First Christian Reformed Church, Tweedsmuir Avenue East, Chatham, on Tuesday, January 6, 1998, at 11:00 am, with Rev. Paul Stadt officiating. Interment in Campbell Cemetery, Komoka, Ontario, Ontario. Contributions to the Salvation Army would be appreciated.
