Catharina “Caty” Petronella Rienstra

Catharina Petronella “Caty” Rienstra, 80, of Nederland, died Tuesday, May 16, 2017. She was born on May 25, 1936, in Port Arthur, to Johannes Jacobus DeRuiter and Catharina Susanna Has DeRuiter.

She is survived by her husband, Jan Rienstra, Jr.; son, Jan “Trey” Rienstra III and his wife, Brenda; daughters, Kim Ronning of Nederland; Sharon Pullin and her husband, Steven, of Russellville, Arkansas; Tymbre Gack of Nederland; and Kyra Day and her husband, Luke, of Bridge City along with 12 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, John J. DeRuiter, Jacobus “Jack” DeRuiter, and Norman DeRuiter; sisters-in-law, Betty DeRuiter, and Shirly DeRuiter.

A gathering of Mrs. Rienstra’s family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Friday, May 19, 2017, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 2711 Helena Avenue, Nederland. Her funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, under the direction of Broussard’s, 505 North 12th Street, Nederland. Her interment will follow at Oak Bluff Memorial Park, Port Neches.

“It’s the moments together that change us forever.”

Catharina Petronella “Caty” Rienstra- a Wife, Mother, Oma, and Friend. As a native of Port Arthur, she graduated high school from Bishop Byrne and continued her education at Hotel Dieu School of Nursing in Beaumont where she graduated Salutatorian in 1963. She loved her job working in industrial nursing and retired from Goodyear. She loved life and lived it to the fullest never turning down a day in the boat, or waterskiing with her husband and friends, had a special love for traveling the country in their motorhomes and also traveling to Europe, collecting rocks along the way. Even in her younger years she loved sewing and became the family seamstress making dresses and outfits for daughters, sons, and grandchildren. She taught her family what loving the Lord looked like and had a heart of gold and was always accepting and never held a grudge on anyone, she truly taught us what “loving like Jesus,” meant.

Shopping… where do we begin, she would be there when the stores opened and not leave until they closed (not to mention the countless returns for things she changed her mind on.) At home she enjoyed sitting on the back porch watching the birds and visiting while drinking hot tea or coffee, we all know that coffee was made at 10 AM and tea at 2 PM and her and Opa (or daddy) never missed a day with that part of their daily routine. Eating out with her “honey,” for dinner dates and had a few favorites she would never pass up on. Going to get pedicures with her daughters and granddaughters became a monthly routine. Muffins and milkshakes and anything sweet would win her heart over any day. The best part about her was that she always had a listening ear ready, never judged you, and always had the best advice.  She never gave up, even when life was hard and the odds were against her, she would prove you wrong. She never met a stranger and loved anyone she ever met (unless you messed with her babies, then you better run.) We are all so thankful and blessed to have had such a caring and selfless woman in our lives and she was the best Wife, Mom and Oma we could have asked for.