Our dear mother Kathleen Vander Houwen passed on December 3, 2022, at the age of 80 after a long and full life. She was born in Newport News, Virginia and grew up in Long Beach, California. There she met the love of her life, David Vander Houwen, and married on Sept 5, 1964. They moved to Ridgecrest in 1974 when David got stationed there with the Navy. She worked as a waitress, hostess, and bartender at the Chiefs Petty Officer Club, The Hideaway, and the Elks Lodge.
She enjoyed serving and helping the many people that she came across. She was also an avid bowler where she went to many tournaments and made many friends. She moved to Ellabell, Georgia in 2021 to be closer to her daughter, granddaughters, and great-grandchildren. Her son and daughter-in-law soon followed. Her family always brought a smile to her face but none more than seeing her great-grandchildren. She always enjoyed spending time with her family. She was fortunate enough to get to see her son David, who lives in Japan, prior to her death.
She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and will be missed terribly.
She is preceded in death by David Vander Houwen with whom she was married to for 26 years, her mother Virginia Purifoy, her father-in-law Chris Vander Houwen, and her mother-in-law Muriel Vander Houwen.
She is survived by her daughter Kristina Barron, her sons David Vander Houwen JR and Shawn Vander Houwen, her daughter-in-laws Michiyo Vander Houwen and Praise Vander Houwen, her granddaughters Kiersten Boone, Caradwyn Barron, and Katie Vander Houwen, her great-grandsons Tobias Boone and Elijah Boone, her great-granddaughter Finley Boone, her brother Kenneth Purifoy, and her sister-in-laws Karen White, Kristen Thorpe, and Linda Burr.
Memorial services will be held in her honor at Holland and Lyons Mortuary, 216 S. Norma St, on January 7, at 2 pm, followed by a graveside service at Desert Memorial Park. We will have a celebration of life at the Elks Lodge, 201 E. Church St, Ridgecrest, at 5 pm. In lieu of flowers, please donate in her name to the Ridgecrest Animal Shelter or the Disabled American Veterans.