GRAND RAPIDS — A Holland man wants to keep his mother's memory alive.
Mary Fennema passed 9 years ago from brain cancer.
Her son Klay Fennema turned to social media to reminisce this Christmas.
"Christmas was one of her favorite holidays, having all her boys together, lots of memories there," said Fennema.
Klay the youngest of 5 boys shared a special bond with his Mom. Little did he know, a big part of her life is still very much alive in Grand Rapids. Mary's first car, her Volkswagen bug from the 1960's, now owned by Mike D'Angelo.
"She was the type that was just cool with everybody, I could just probably picture her rolling up to high school with that slug bug, all the flower power stuff on, it'd be great," said Fennema.
He continued, "she talked about this car all the time when we were growing up. She taught her Mom how to drive in that car, she taught her brothers."
Klay found the car after posting on Facebook in a Godwin Heights Alumni Facebook page. The original post just asked for folks to share memories of his Mom.
"The next thing I know I get flooded with all these people commenting left and right about how she was this awesome cheerleader and she was so well liked," Fennema said,
He continued, "I get this one comment from this gentleman who says, I graduated with your Mom, and I bought her first car from her, that Volkswagen bug. And I'm like no way, this has got to be a mix up of some sort."
Decades later, in mint condition, that beloved VW bug, now a collector's item for Mike D'Angelo, who went to high school with Mary and bought her car.
"How many people have their first car in existence you know? He takes it to car shows, he does all these things with it, it's just crazy," said Fennema.
Klay had no idea the car still existed, let alone that he'd find it.
"When the weather changes and we get warmer, come by and take it for a spin, we'll go out and drive it, or whatever. I'm just trying to keep that memory, that feel good thing alive and just keep those memories there."
