Jane Ann Koning

It is with great sorrow that we announce that Jane Ann Koning passed away on March 26, 2023, of complications from kidney failure. 

Jane is survived by her loving husband Jack Koning, and her son, Michael (Rebecca) Koning, their daughters Madeline and Kiersten, her sister, Mary Beth Tygielski, her sister-in-law, Lois Belanger, and her cat Sunny.  She was preceded in death by her daughter Christine, her mother and father, Ruth and Linus Belanger, and her brother David Belanger.  She will also be remembered by her beloved nephew Jeremy (Maja) Tygielski, and her precious nieces Heather Renaud and Carrie (Dave) Barron and their families, as well as all her cherished friends.  You know who you are!

Jane was a devoted military wife and mother.  She spent 21 years as a Navy wife running the household, raising her two children, and being the example of how to thrive while solo parenting during Jack’s numerous sea deployments in times of war and peace.  While tested by 17 permanent change of station moves, many of them coast-to-coast, she always hit the ground running and you never saw her sweat the small stuff during any of them.  She then spent 22 years providing Michael’s family with a homebase during all his and his family’s Air Force assignments in Saudi Arabia, Germany, and Korea.  Her granddaughters always knew she would be there for them during their extended summer visits and thoroughly enjoyed their times together.  For Christine, she was her rock of her entire time on Earth and did her very best to nurture, grow, and support her during the good times and throughout her decline in health.

Once she returned to Michigan and declared Grand Rapids the new home base, she turned her drive and attention to several gratifying professional endeavors.  She thoroughly enjoyed her time in the front office of the Cascade Hills Country Club ensuring the members and staff were well taken care of.  She was called out of a short retirement to help at Memorial Alternatives making sure grieving families did not have to worry about honoring their loved ones.  When she finally retired for good, she focused on numerous volunteer activities.  She’s a loyal member of Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church where she served as president of the Episcopal Church Women, spent time on the board of the Western Episcopal Diocese, and member of the Altar Guild.  She sewed many costumes for productions of the Grand Rapids Civic Theater, while also ushering and helping where needed, and spent many summer evenings assisting with the Grand Rapids Symphony Picnic Pops. 

Jane’s life mattered. She made a difference in many places and in many lives and the world is a better place because she was in it.

Rest in peace Jane, you have more than earned it.

Per Jane’s wishes, she was cremated, and a celebration of her life will be held on Sunday, April 30, 2023, at 1:30pm at Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church 1025 3 Mile Rd NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505.

If you wish to honor Jane, please send flowers to someone you love or donate to kidney disease or leukemia research. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jane Ann Koning, please visit our floral store.