Johanna "Jolie" Westers

Jolie would like to let you all know that her work here is done. She received a call, on November 28, 2020, for the sort of offer you can't refuse. It is for an appointment from which she will not be returning. However, this assignment comes with an exciting sign-on bonus, a reunion with family and friends whom she has not seen in a long time. With ardent faith, she anticipated this appointment, expressing curiosity of all the wonders she would experience.

As a woman of unshakable faith, she approached this time in her life in much the same fashion she had approached the adventures of moving from the Netherlands to the United States in 1955. Expecting their first child, she and her husband, Harry Westers (deceased) moved to Michigan and began the exciting journey to citizenship (1960). As proud American Citizens they desired nothing so much as to raise patriotic American children. Carolina, was born 4 months after their arrival in America. Less than 2 years later a second child, Hendrick, was born. Their little family was "complete", when she gave birth to their third child, Janina (or so it was stated on the back of a photo taken in 1959). Soon followed a fourth child, Ianthe, and then a fifth, Jolinda, and a sixth, Lloyd, then a seventh, Loisa, and the eighth, John. Then, in grand-finale fashion, at the age of 50 years, the ninth and tenth children, James and Justin, were excitingly born. These 5 sons and 5 daughters produced 17 grandsons and 8 granddaughters, as well as 17 great-grandsons and 10 great-granddaughters.

Johanna "Jolie" was one of five girls, born to Hendrik and Carolina Petter (deceased), in 1931. She was educated as a grade-school teacher in the Netherlands, and embraced learning new things throughout her life. She especially enjoyed skits and acting, which enhanced her skills at sharing interesting stories of her childhood, with heart-stirring insights of her and her family's experiences, particularly during WWII.

Jolie, known to have quite a competitive streak, challenged any willing players to ambitious rounds of volleyball/spoons/SkipBo/golf/video games (Zelda)/Wii sports/crossword puzzles - basically any game, at any time! She always had an excitement about her, and if there was any "cheating" going on, it was purely "accidental". She often claimed, in delightfully accented English, that although she was getting older, she was "just a schoolgirl on the inside".

Flowers - Jolie loved flowers of every kind, and would easily create lovely arrangements and centerpieces that she placed pleasingly throughout her home. She had a dream she shared once, of larger-than-life, beautiful, vibrant, Heavenly flowers; smiling sweetly, she said "they were nothing like what we have here on earth".

One of her grandchildren stated reverently "she is a legend". Yes - and we have been blessed to call her Mom and Oma.

According to her wishes, cremation has taken place.  No services will be held at this time.

Desnoyer Funeral Home - Family owned for 130 years