Brenda Dotinga

Brenda Dotinga

February 12, 1930 – July 31, 2025

Brenda (Barteltje) Dotinga was called by her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to enter into the joy of heaven on July 31, 2025. God gave her 95 years on this earth during which time she blessed many people with her beautiful smile, kind heart, and soft-spoken ways.

Brenda was born in Tersoal, Friesland, the Netherlands, on February 12, 1930, the first of seven children born to Sipke and Trintje (De Boer) Dijkstra. She spent her early years as a dairy farmer’s daughter, and after graduating from college Brenda taught children in the village of Skraat, Friesland, for five years. On April 16, 1957, Brenda married Wallace Dotinga and together they traveled across North America for a honeymoon. They settled in San Diego, California, where they basked in the sunshine and enjoyed the three little boys who came into the family over the next few years. The family went back to the Netherlands in 1963 where they lived for only a short time before returning to California and this time settling in Ontario. It was here that daughter, Tina, was added to the family. Later, Brenda and Wallace moved to Whittier, the birthplace of their youngest child, Beatrice.

Brenda was an excellent mother: she gave her life to feeding, cleaning, nurturing, and training her children. Brenda loved her family and she loved her Lord. Brenda took joy in worshipping God: she was a lifetime member in the Christian Reformed Church (and its sister church in the Netherlands). Though Brenda never learned to drive, she put on many walking miles over the years, often pushing a stroller, in order to regularly help Wallace run the family milk store, Dotinga Dairy. And while she was never positioned behind the steering wheel, Brenda was a knowledgeable navigator and helped her husband get to where they needed to go. She also had an excellent memory, being able to remember the many birthdays and anniversaries of the large Dotinga and Dijkstra families.

Brenda is preceded in death by her husband of 65 years: Wallace, as well as by her parents and two of her sisters: Tjitske and Elly. Brenda (Mem) will be deeply missed by her children: Willem (Kristin) of Alto, Michigan; Sid (Cheryl) of Novi, Michigan; Melvin (Jane) of Lynden, Washington; Tina (Steve) Kampen of Visalia, California; and Bea (Tom) Diepstra of Grand Rapids, Michigan. She was a beloved Beppe to 14 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. Brenda is also survived by four of her siblings: brother Sanne, and sisters Janny, Jikke, and Pytsje. She will be missed by all of her in-laws and her many nieces and nephews as well.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 9, at First Artesia Christian Reformed Church, 18411 Alburtis Avenue, Artesia, California, with Pastor Rob Golding officiating. Visitation with the family will precede this service at 10:00 a.m. at First Artesia Christian Reformed Church. A lunch will be served after the service and a graveside service at Rose Hills Memorial Park will occur at 3:00 PM

Memorials may be made to World Renew, an international ministry of the Christian Reformed Church (worldrenew.net)