Rena (Rinkje) De Vries was born on December 24, 1915, in Leeuwarden, Friesland, Netherlands, the daughter of Joe & Marie (Grendell) De Vries. Her family arrived at Ellis Island, NY on 10 Jul 1921. The De Vries family naturalized becoming citizens and settled in Kalamazoo, MI. Rena first married John Raymond Cripe in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on January 30, 1934, when she was 18 years old. Two children were born from this marriage, a daughter Joan Marie & a son John Raymond Cripe Jr. Rena then married Stanley Leon Cox on September 30, 1940. During WW II Stanley entered into the Army on Mar 9, 1942. Rena was one of about 200 women who were hired by Gibson Guitar Company in Kalamazoo, MI to make munitions for the war effort. Gibson secretly continued to manufacture guitars during this time. Stanley was severely wounded by machine gun fire while fighting and returned in 1945. Rena and Stanley were married almost 50 years until Stanley' death in June of 1990. Rena then moved to Oklahoma to be near her daughter Joan. Rena enjoyed gardening and always had beautiful flowers. She left this life at the age of 83 on September 4, 1999, in Claremore, Oklahoma.
Rena (Rinkje) De Vries was born on December 24, 1915, in Leeuwarden, Friesland, Netherlands, the daughter of Joe & Marie (Grendell) De Vries. Her family arrived at Ellis Island, NY on 10 Jul 1921. The De Vries family naturalized becoming citizens and settled in Kalamazoo, MI. Rena first married John Raymond Cripe in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on January 30, 1934, when she was 18 years old. Two children were born from this marriage, a daughter Joan Marie & a son John Raymond Cripe Jr. Rena then married Stanley Leon Cox on September 30, 1940. During WW II Stanley entered into the Army on Mar 9, 1942. Rena was one of about 200 women who were hired by Gibson Guitar Company in Kalamazoo, MI to make munitions for the war effort. Gibson secretly continued to manufacture guitars during this time. Stanley was severely wounded by machine gun fire while fighting and returned in 1945. Rena and Stanley were married almost 50 years until Stanley' death in June of 1990. Rena then moved to Oklahoma to be near her daughter Joan. Rena enjoyed gardening and always had beautiful flowers. She left this life at the age of 83 on September 4, 1999, in Claremore, Oklahoma.
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