Rena Van Den Berg, 83

Rena (Scheeres) Van Den Berg, age 83, of Imlay City, Michigan, died Thursday, September 17, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. 

Rena Scheeres was born July 4, 1943, in Detroit, Michigan. She is the daughter of the late Arie and Reintje “Rena” (Van Schellen) Scheeres. Rena grew up in Warren, Michigan, on 15 Mile Road between Mound and Ryan. She was a graduate of Warren Consolidated Schools, Class of 1961. She married James “Jim” Van Den Berg on November 29, 1963, in Roseville, Michigan, and has been married for 62 years. 

Right after high school, Rena worked as a bookkeeper for Ernst Fuel & Supply. She also worked on the family vegetable farm, primarily as bookkeeper for Van Den Berg & Sons farms, and in many other roles. Early on, she drove the tractor and wagon alongside Jim to collect carrots from the harvester. Once her daughters were old enough, Rena supervised them as they pulled weeds in the onion, carrot, and lettuce fields. 

In her later years, while employed as a bookkeeper at Peppergrove Nursery in Lapeer, Michigan, Jim and Rena founded Goodland Ag. Products. There, she used her talents as Jim’s “Special Assistant,” working at the dining room table as Bookkeeper, in the fields weeding and harvesting and in the barn packaging the produce. She became well known as the “Lettuce Lady” at the Royal Oak Farm Market, where she and Jim sold the highest-quality produce for over 35 years, feeding millions. 

Rena was very proud and steadfast in her Dutch heritage, her strong marriage, her four daughters, and, most of all, her faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. She always put others’ needs first and contributed her amazing talents and efforts to Imlay City Christian School, using her manual typewriter to create each page of the School Calendar supported by sponsors and included every child’s name and birthday. She also sewed dozens of handmade teddy bears to sell at annual fundraisers and made costumes for special school events, including the annual plays.

Rena also served in church over the years. Rena loved to knit as a member of the Patriotic Prulers knitting group at the Imlay City Senior Center. She enjoyed cooking for family gatherings, and holidays were always at Mom and Dad’s house.

She is survived by her husband, Jim Van Den Berg, and their four daughters, Deborah (Steven) Keddy and her child, Terri Anne Smith (Terri Anne’s child, Skyla Van Sickle); Laura (Scott) Morrison and their children, Zoe Morrison and Jamie Morrison; Barbara Koyl and her children, Mitchell (Hannah) Koyl (their children, Garrison, Everett, Banner, and Anessa Koyl), Hannah (James) Bullinger (their child, Henry Bullinger), Olivia (Luke) Moss (their children, Sawyer, Reid, and Margo Moss), Levi (Katherine) Koyl (their children, Logan, Chipper, and Amelia Koyl), and Dawn (Gregory) Lewis and their children Brendan Lewis and Dillon Lewis. Rena’s brothers, Jacob Scheeres, Bert (Lois) Scheeres, and Ernie (Sherry) Scheeres.  

She was preceded in death by her great-grandchild, Ava Bullinger (daughter of Hannah (James) Bullinger).

The funeral will be at Noon Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Goodland Community Church, 2008 N. Van Dyke, Imlay City, MI. Pastor Rick Fledderjohann will officiate. Interment will follow at Goodland Township Cemetery.

The family will be available for visitation 3-8 pm, Friday, September 25, at Muir Brothers Funeral Home of Imlay City, 225 N. Main St., Imlay City, MI.

Arrangements were entrusted to Muir Brothers Funeral Home of Imlay City. Please be sure to sign our online register at muirbrothersfh.com to share condolences and memories with the Van Den Berg family.