Willis DeBoer served for 26 years (1962-1988) in Calvin's religion department.
Steady.
It’s one of the words that was consistently used to describe professor of religion emeritus Willis (Bill) DeBoer ‘48, who passed away on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at the age of 91.
“He could enter the presence of a department or a group of students and if there were tensions, he just had a way of diffusing them,” said Dale Cooper, chaplain emeritus, and former colleague of DeBoer’s in Calvin’s religion department. “He was just patient; a patient person and utterly steady.”
He is also remembered as a man of integrity and grace, someone who was fair to everybody, and loyal to the church and to Calvin.
DeBoer taught in the religion department at Calvin College from 1962 to 1988, serving as the chair of the department for the final six years of his tenure.
“He treated his students and his colleagues in a very Christian-like way, at all times,” said John Primus, professor or religion emeritus, who served alongside DeBoer for 26 of his 34 years at Calvin.
“I don’t think there’s a person in the department that could ever be irritated with Bill DeBoer,” said Cooper.
A pastor at heart
DeBoer graduated from Calvin College with a degree in Greek and went on to graduate from Calvin Theological Seminary in 1951. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in Europe for three years during World War II. And prior to and after DeBoer’s time at Calvin, he spent time in the pastorate, either leading churches or serving as an interim pastor for churches in transition. Primus and Cooper said his pastoral qualities transcended the pulpit.
“He ministered in the churches, but he also ministered to his students,” said Primus. “I think he loved his students personally.”
“He was a pastor through and through,” said Cooper. “When I think of Bill as a person, the New Testament resurrection character qualities in Colossians 3 come to mind … . His care and compassion for his students clearly came through.”
In service to One
And he recognized his calling transcended any one particular role and was in service to One, above all.
“In many ways, he was a model faculty member—a very conscientious fellow in terms of his work and in terms of his being at Calvin and in terms of ministry and in terms of service not only to Calvin, but to the Lord,” said Primus. “He saw that was what service to Calvin finally comes down to, service to Christ.”
“He loved his family, he talked affectionately about them often. He clearly loved his colleagues and his students. He loved the church, and above all He loved God,” said Cooper.
“When I think of Bill DeBoer, Philemon 1:7 comes to mind. Bill De Boer ‘refreshed my heart,’” said Cooper.
Bill is survived by his wife Gertrude, his daughters Sandra (Don) Bode, Kathleen (Mark Pittman) DeBoer, Patricia (Stuart Henderson) DeBoer, Philip (Laurie) DeBoer, and Steven DeBoer; five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 15, at Raybrook Manor Chapel. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, November 14 at Zaagman Memorial Chapel as well as from 1-2 p.m. at Raybrook Manor on Saturday.
