Joanne Venhuizen

The funeral service will be live streamed from our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SmitsFH

Joanne Venhuizen, née Huisenga, age 90, of South Holland, IL, went home to her Creator on Sunday, February 15, 2026. Beloved wife of the late Cornelius “Neil/Kees” Venhuizen and mother of Bernard (Rosalinda) Venhuizen, Ruth (William) Martin, and Gayle (Dave) Beezhold. Proud grandmother and Oma of Cornelius “Neil” (Lisa Brown) Venhuizen, Alison (Matthew) Carlassare, Melissa Martin, Joshua (Christina) Martin, Zachary Beezhold, and Jason (Rachel) Beezhold. Delighted great-grandmother of Annabelle, Eloise, Mason, John, Harrison, Henry, and Nora. A dear aunt to many nieces and nephews and a friend to many. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Agnes (née Vrolyk) Huisenga; her siblings, Gertrude (née Block, Fisher) Eylander, Martin Huisenga, Martha Kuiper, Ruth Teune, and Louise Hofstra; and her grandchildren, Albert Martin and Thomas Venhuizen. 

Joanne was born in Evergreen Park on her family’s farm. The youngest of six, her childhood was shaped by her community, the rhythms of farm life, the books she lost herself in, and a love for art. Creation—be it through a garden, a canvas, or her family—became the enduring theme of her life." 

A lover of learning, she was the first in her family to attend college. After graduating from Calvin College with a degree in elementary education, she went on to create a world of discovery for her students at Kalamazoo Christian. While she wasn’t a formal teacher for long, she always remained a learner and educator at heart, taking countless classes at local colleges (including Wheaton, South Suburban, and Trinity Christian) and sharing what she learned through church Bible studies and community classes.

After meeting and marrying Neil, she turned to creating a family, raising three children and eventually enjoying the legacy of seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She never tired of sharing her passions with them, whether taking them to plays and museums or teaching them to garden and paint. 

Joanne was perhaps most well known for the art she created, and at the heart of her work was always a story. She captured a shared Dutch heritage in her oil paintings and brought the Bible to life through "chalk talks" and the elaborate sets she painted for the Journey of Joy, Vacation Bible Schools, and various church and community programs throughout the area. Later in life, when she shifted to colored pencils, she collected photos from the lives of her children and grandchildren, transcribing their experiences into art. She also loved to make cards from pressed flowers; a note from her was a work of art in itself, but inside, she was always eager to remind you that she loved you—and, even more importantly, that God loved you. The Creator’s love was painted into everything she did. 

All are invited to join for a celebration of God’s love and of Joanne’s life on Sunday, February 22, at Smits Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 11:30am until 2:30pm, and the funeral service will be at 2:30pm. A committal will be held on Monday, February 23, at 11am at Lincoln National Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be made to Cottage Grove Christian Reformed Church. In Joanne’s honor, the family encourages you to create and send a card to someone special in your life, carrying on her legacy of sharing love.