News

Actions

Missing Woman Found In Lake Macatawa Identified, Neighbors Call It “Unsettling”

Posted at 10:36 PM, Jun 05, 2013
and last updated 2013-06-06 04:20:48-04

HOLLAND, Mich. – The search for a missing woman from Ottawa County officially ended Wednesday.

A body was pulled from Lake Macatawa on Monday.  Through dental records, the body has been officially identified as Barbara Westveer, 55, of Holland.  She went missing more than a week ago.

FOX 17 spoke briefly with Gene Westveer, Barbara’s husband, outside Barbara’s home on Edgewood Drive.  We asked him if he wanted to share any thoughts or memories of his wife.  He said it was too much, too soon for any interviews.

Kathy Cook saw her neighbor, Barbara, for the last time more than a week ago.

“She just had a very sad look on her face,” said Cook.  “We waved at her but she didn’t acknowledge us, just kept walking.”

That was the day before Westveer was reported missing.  The 55-year-old’s husband called police after Westveer missed an appointment.

She lived close to Lake Macatawa.  A marine team searched the Lake shortly after she was reported missing.  On Monday, jet skiers spotted her body.

“About an hour after we got word that a body had been pulled out there was a sheriff presence at Barb’s house,” said Cook.

Without official word, Cook could only speculate that the body was her neighbor.

“Pretty unsettling when you have a sheriff presence in your neighborhood for that long of time and just not knowing where she was,” said Cook.  “We had hoped for a better outcome of they had found her alive but it’s a sad feeling.  You don’t want to see that happen to a neighbor.”

Police said an autopsy showed no signs of trauma but they are still awaiting toxicology results for an exact cause of death.