October 1, 1930 – January 3, 2023

A graveside service for Betty Ann De Koek, 92, of Artesia, Calif., was held Friday, Jan. 27, at Artesia Cemetery. She died January 3, 2023, at Artesia Christian Home.

Betty Ann was born October 1, 1930, to Teunis and Pearl De Koekkoek in Edgerton, Minn. She was the oldest of four children. She attended grade school through the 8th grade and became her dad’s first rate farmhand.  She then worked at the Leader Café and met Bert Van Hulzen and they were soon married. Linda was born with Jean and Ben following in the next few years. The marriage ended in divorce and she became a single mom with no financial support, leaning heavily on her dear parents. She was totally devoted to her three children and made sure they attended Bethel Reformed Church weekly, were enrolled at Bellflower Christian School, and spent as much time with her children as she could while working full time as a waitress.

She was a great seamstress. She worked at the Long Beach Petroleum Club for over 30 years doing a split shift, meaning she would drive home to Bellflower to make her kids some dinner and take a quick nap then go back for a banquet and be home by 10 p.m. She finally became assistant manager. She received her GED and became the “scrapbook queen” taking pictures of every important event.

She only dated men who liked her kids and her kids got rid of a few! Then she was acquainted with her cousin, Ben De Koek, and married him in 1980 and began the life she always dreamed of.

Betty Ann and Ben moved to an Artesia Christian Home cottage until Ben’s death in 2015. She then spent a few years in assisted living and finally moved to skilled nursing.

She is survived by her children: Linda (Larry) Hoekman, Jean (Bob) De Jong, and Ben Van Hulzen (Cathy Smith), 8 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren, a sister, Sandy (Bill) Gerritsen; and niece, Paula La Breche.