Heritage
Shirley Baas ex’56
June 21, 2021, Holland, Mich.
Allen Baker ex’59
May 13, 2021, Whitinsville, Mass.
Verna Vreugdenhil Baker ex’47
Feb. 6, 2021, Jenison, Mich.
John Beenen ex’59
Oct. 1, 2020, North Fort Myers, Fla.
Vernon Boersma ex’41
June 19, 2021, Holland, Mich.
Lois Eggebeen Boonstra ex’53
Jan. 31, 2021, Palos Heights, Ill.
Nancy Van Regenmorter Bos ’61
Feb. 25, 2021, Hudsonville, Mich.
Peter Bosman ’59
Sept. 25, 2019, Lynden, Wash.
Arthur Bouwers ’68
July 4, 2021, Youngstown, Ohio
JoAnne Waanders Brasser ’58
June 4, 2021, Brookfield, Wis.
Donald Bratt Sr. ex’52
Nov. 14, 2020, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Wally Bratt, 1933–2021
Wallace “Wally” Bratt ’55 taught in the German department for more than 35 years. And he had high expectations for himself and his students.
Herm De Vries, a student and later a colleague of Wally’s in the German department, said, “Wally took learning dead seriously; and as his student, you had better take your work seriously, too. Learning mattered. Studies mattered.”
He received Calvin’s most prestigious teaching award in 1994, the Presidential Award for Exemplary Teaching.
And Wally never really retired from teaching or learning. After his official retirement, he continued on as one of the founding members and curriculum director of the now thriving Calvin Academy for Lifelong Learning (CALL) program.
“Wally was supportive, always helpful, eager to listen, and happy to celebrate the successes of his departmental colleagues,” said Barbara Carvill who taught with Bratt for 21 years in the German department.
To sum up Wally’s legacy at Calvin: It’s the investment he made in people.
“There are some people whose gift it is to touch other people in their lives—to make a mark on others, to guide others, to have a lasting influence on others. There are quite a few of such people around Calvin, but Wally stands out,” said De Vries.
Wally, 87, died April 5 and was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Marianne. He is survived by his children, Doug (Diane) Bratt, Sue (Ron) Bratt Cok, and David (Margaret) Bratt; his 10 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and his siblings and siblings-in-law.
Jean Alberda Brower ’58
April 11, 2021, Hudsonville, Mich.
Ralph Bruxvoort ’55
March 23, 2021, Bloomer, Wis.
William Buiten ex’50
July 15, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Betty Vander Werp Bultman ex’49
July 2, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Arlene Walcott Buurma ex’47
Feb. 22, 2020, Gregory, Mich.
Sally Snider Clark ’58
May 4, 2021, Tempe, Ariz.
Donald Clelland ’58
April 22, 2021, Knoxville, Tenn.
Harold Clousing ’66
April 6, 2021, Santa Clarita, Calif.
David Cooke Sr. ex’56
March 23, 2021, Columbus, Ohio
Maurice Couwenhoven ’50
Feb. 24, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Anne DeBoer Deckard ’45
May 9, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Robert Decker ’62
May 5, 2021, Jenison, Mich.
Dale De Haan ’55
March 1, 2021, Holmes Beach, Fla.
Dale received the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1980.
Cornelia “Connie” De Hoog ex’53
Aug. 31, 2019, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Phyllis Hollender De Jong ’49
April 4, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Merle Den Bleyker ’69
March 23, 2021, Mesa, Ariz.
Bert De Vries, 1939–2021
While archaeology and the Umm el-Jimal Archaeological Project (UJAP) were the focus of the majority of history emeritus Bert de Vries’ ’60 career at Calvin, his real passion was the Jordanian people.
His enthusiastic zeal for his project and his people infused his teaching for over 50 years.
“For Bert, the whole point of his scholarship was to serve other people, especially the voiceless and powerless,” said Andy Rau ’97, a former student who worked at Umm el-Jimal. “As a champion and voice for the refugees, he never let us forget that the pursuit of justice was at the heart of what he did—and that it should be at the heart of what we did, no matter where our careers and interests took us.”
Bert’s involvement in UJAP would lead him to become an advocate and ambassador of Middle Eastern culture.
In 2009, concerned about refugee children, Bert and his wife, Sally, helped found Healing Children of Conflict, which works to bring injured children to the U.S. for treatment.
Colleague Will Katerberg said: “His greatest legacy lies in this aspect of Bert’s work and life: integration of faith, work, and life is not just about ideas but about how following God’s calling for us leads us to love our neighbors.”
Bert, 82, died March 28 and is survived by Sally; children Tara (Rob) Cahill, Tanya (Paul) Bulthuis (of Calvin’s audio visual department), Jenna (Michael) Morton, Guy (Ann) de Vries, and Muaffaq and Fatima Hazza (honorarily); and many grandchildren.
Marjorie Broersma De Young ex’55
Feb. 14, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Donald Distelberg ’68
April 23, 2021, Hemet, Calif.
Rick Duistermars ex’67
Jan. 22, 2021, Portland, Ore.
Calvin Dyk ex’64
May 25, 2021, Hudsonville, Mich.
Helen Dyk ’57
June 14, 2021, Jenison, Mich.
Dorothy Stob Dykstra ex’44
Jan. 18, 2021, Evansville, Ind.
Frank Einfeld ’43
March 28, 2021, Jenison, Mich.
Charles Feddema ’51
March 18, 2020, Allendale, Mich.
Tena Draayer Feddema ’61
May 15, 2021, Allendale, Mich.
Earl Feringa ’53
March 1, 2019, Seattle, Wash.
Stephanie Rooks Fryer ’58
March 19, 2021, Wyoming, Mich.
Richard Geldof ’51
Feb. 28, 2021, Banning, Calif.
Cornelia “Connie” Schryvers Gezon ’52
July 6, 2021, Wilmette, Ill.
Alton Greenfield ’65
June 8, 2021, Spring Lake Park, Minn.
Paul Grevengoed ’48
March 10, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Robert Greydanus ’63
April 25, 2021, Bloomfield, N.J.
Frank Grimm ex’59
June 18, 2021, Cedar Springs, Mich.
Theresa Wiersma Grond ’68
March 19, 2020, Meridian, Idaho
Mariann Hoekman Haak ex’59
Dec. 17, 2020, Sioux Center, Iowa
Wesley Haan ’57
June 23, 2021, Baldwin, Mich.
James Hale ex’68
Dec. 7, 2020, Noble, Okla.
Seymour Harkema ex’50
March 22, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Cornelius Hegewald ’62
Feb. 15, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Daniel Hendriksen ’51
April 22, 2021, Portage, Mich.
Alfred Herfst ’64
July 1, 2019, Burnaby, B.C.
Robert Heyboer ex’48
April 28, 2021, Holland, Mich.
Walter Hoeksema ’64
March 15, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
John Hoffman ex’50
May 3, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Faith Brouwers Hollander ’54
Feb. 8, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Donald Holtrop ’58
March 9, 2021, Tucson, Ariz.
Robert Holwerda ’59
April 30, 2021, Grandville, Mich.
Margaret te Velde Houtsma ex’58
April 19, 2021, Syracuse, Kan.
Arnold Hoving ’58
April 7, 2021, Westmont, Ill.
Martina Van Staalduinen Ipema ’61
June 2, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Donald Jackson ’69
Feb. 20, 2021, Rockford, Mich.
Carol Ringling Kahl ex’58
Jan. 10, 2021, Whiting, Iowa
Ann Van’t Slot Karnemaat ex’53
June 17, 2021, Fremont, Mich.
Evelyn Petroelje Karsten ’52
June 21, 2021, Visalia, Calif.
Henry Karsten ’54
April 26, 2021, Visalia, Calif.
David Kass ’57
April 5, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Henry Katerberg ’66
April 4, 2021, Hamilton, Ont.
Alex Klooster Jr. ’60
May 19, 2021, Ann Arbor, Mich.
John Kloosterman Jr. ex’58
March 23, 2021, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Gordon Klouw ’51
Dec. 8, 2020, Holland, Mich.
Doris Knol ’47
Feb. 9, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Sharon Petersen Kraft ex’63
March 14, 2021, Spring Lake, Mich.
Mae Van Zwol Kruis ex’44
March 4, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Calvin Kuipers ’50
March 24, 2019, Albuquerque, N.M.
Nancy Zeeff Kuipers ’61
Sept. 10, 2020, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Jacob Leegwater ’64
Oct. 24, 2019, Lincoln, Calif.
Wayne Lemmen ex’44
March 23, 2021, Coopersville, Mich.
Wayne Leys ’66
Jan. 30, 2021, Zeeland, Mich.
Hazel Ruis Marthinsen ex’50
Feb. 21, 2021, Zelienople, Pa.
Willa Vander Stoep Mast ’64
June 17, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Wubbina “Ann” Mennega ’60
Feb. 5, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Jacob Meyer ex’63
June 16, 2021, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Karen Pastoor Mulder ex’63
July 20, 2019, Spokane, Wash.
Robert Niemeyer ex’49
July 5, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Thelma De Boer Nienhuis ’53
March 6, 2021, Jenison, Mich.
Garneth Oostenink ’61
June 4, 2020, Sioux City, Iowa
Gerard Oosterhouse ’50
June 4, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Greta Duifhuis Overvoorde ’63
Feb. 4, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Jerry Palma ex’50
Aug. 30, 2019, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Jeanne Gerritsen Paluzzi ex’53
March 1, 2020, Chicago, Ill.
William Postma ex’49
April 27, 2021, Artesia, Calif.
Alvin Ritsema ex’60
Feb. 28, 2021, Jenison, Mich.
Donald Rozema ex’55
July 17, 2020, Phoenix, Ariz.
Marcia Hertel Schaap ’60
May 15, 2021, Munster, Ind.
Orville Schipper ’66
May 20, 2021, Middleville, Mich.
Dean Schmidt ex’55
Feb. 20, 2021, Rock Valley, Iowa
Cornelius Schoon ’67
Dec. 27, 2020, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Nancy Lubbers Schut ’67
April 14, 2021, Holland, Mich.
P. John Shooks ex’48
Feb. 9, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Robert Sikkenga ex’58
May 30, 2021, Middlebury, Ind.
Bruce Snapper ’69
Jan. 8, 2021, La Canada Flintridge, Calif.
Louise Heeres Sonderfan ’62
March 20, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Henry Stavinga ex’64
Dec. 1, 2020, Palm Harbor, Fla.
Gloria Goris Stronks ’58
April 28, 2021, Spokane, Wash.
Hermina Ten Harmsel Sytsma ex’49
July 5, 2021, Elmhurst, Ill.
Leverne Tanis ’55
Jan. 10, 2021, Oakdale, Calif.
Glenn Terborg ’66
Glenn Terborg ’66
May 5, 2021, Portage, Mich.
Edward Timmer HON
July 4, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Leona De Bruin Tjoelker ex’49
Jan. 18, 2021, Lynden, Wash.
Dorothy Anema Triemstra ’49
April 2, 2021, Denver, Colo.
LaVerne Pruim Triezenberg ex’52
Jan. 26, 2021, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Kelly Tucker ex’50
Sept. 16, 2019, Grandville, Mich.
Thomas Vanden Heuvel ’58
July 7, 2021, Holland, Mich.
Eloise Kuipers Vander Bilt ’51
Feb. 25, 2021, Glendale, Ariz.
Robert Vander Ploeg ex’59
July 7, 2021, Caledonia, Mich.
Barbara De Vries Vander Wal ’65
May 8, 2019, Wyoming, Mich.
Eugene Vander Wall ’52
March 2, 2021, Citrus Heights, Calif.
John Van Dyke ’49
June 14, 2021, Charlevoix, Mich.
Robert Van Noord ’65
March 17, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Allen Van Putten ex’63
June 26, 2021, Sioux Falls, S.D.
James Van Weelden HON
April 18, 2021, Grimsby, Ont.
Annette Blauwkamp Van Wyk ex’69
Nov. 29, 2020, Oskaloosa, Iowa
Shirley Wiersma Veen ’50
May 21, 2021, Ada, Mich.
Dirk Velthuizen ’66
April 14, 2021, Brampton, Ont.
John Versfelt ’64
Feb. 28, 2019, Surrey, B.C.
Curtis Vrieland ’59
Feb. 6, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Kayrene Dykstra Walburg ex’55
April 24, 2021, Holland, Mich.
Richard Williams ’60
June 22, 2021, Sheboygan, Wis.
Marilyn Heersink Witt ex’54
Oct. 29, 2020, Alamosa, Colo.
Kathleen Kuipers Wolters ’59
March 7, 2021, Fremont, Mich.
Barbara Ekema Wymore ex’53
Jan. 14, 2021, Saint Paul, Minn.
Richard Zeeff ex’49
March 15, 2021, Bradenton, Fla.
Myra Lambers Zwiep ex’48
April 7, 2021, Holland, Mich.
Julia De Vries Zylstra ’64
June 9, 2021, Everson, Wash.
1970s
Jay Adams ’70
June 7, 2021, Wyoming, Mich.
George Algera ’73
March 19, 2020, Mahwah, N.J.
Michael Blanksma ’76
Jan. 15, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Peggy Ribbens Dekker ’73
March 21, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Richard Donker ’72
March 15, 2021, Modesto, Calif.
Lorraine Key Feenstra ’75
April 29, 2021, Spring Lake, Mich.
Dorothy Ettema Gunn ex’79
March 28, 2021, Capac, Mich.
Richard Hamstra ex’76
May 15, 2021, Norton Shores, Mich.
Elly Weeda Hilt ex’70
Feb. 28, 2020, Wendell, Idaho
David Hoekzema ex’71
March 23, 2021, Newaygo, Mich.
Haig Kassouni ex’77
April 18, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Joan Visser Knoppers ex’70
Feb. 3, 2021, Oak Brook, Ill.
Cheri Meulendyk ’71
Jan. 29, 2021, Alexandria, Va.
Darlene Meyering, 1946–2021
Darlene Meyering ’68 served at Calvin for 32 years. While Darlene’s roles and offices at Calvin changed a few times—working in the music department, alumni relations office, and then in the office of the president—she remained consistent. Her colleagues describe her as being extremely welcoming, overflowing with joy, and gifted yet humble.
“Dar was genuine, full of life, and always grateful to her savior who was the source of the joy found in her,” said Mike Van Denend, who worked alongside Darlene in the alumni relations office for many years. “I’ve never met a person who was better able to channel that joy and gratitude into such creative service for the Lord and to others.”
She was extremely gifted. Sometimes those gifts were seen on stage, through performing in Calvin’s Theatre Company, singing in the Alumni Choir, or interviewing authors at the Festival of Faith and Writing. But, more often than not, you’d find Darlene in a backstage role, using her gifts to help others shine.
“I have said to several people that I am very sure she is singing in the choir in heaven,” said Louise Schreur, who worked with Darlene for almost a decade in the president’s office.
Darlene, 74, died March 23 following a brief battle with myeloid leukemia. She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Bob Meyering, who also was a longtime staff member at Calvin. She is also survived by their three children, Jeremy Meyering, Jason (Meredith Rooze) Meyering, Rachel (Louis) Najar; five grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Kenneth Offringa ’78
July 10, 2021, Webster, N.Y.
Jane Zylstra Ophoff ’70
July 4, 2021, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Martin Ozinga III ’79
April 26, 2021, Mokena, Ill.
Thomas Page ex’77
Oct. 24, 2019, Totowa, N.J.
David Rozema ex’73
Sept. 10, 2020, Pearl River, N.Y.
Gerrit Veeneman ’76
April 25, 2021, Abbotsford, B.C.
Kathryn Elzinga Wolff ’75
March 4, 2021, Chicago, Ill.
1980s
Gregory Buurma ’80
Jan. 21, 2020, Gregory, Mich.
Fred Hanko ’83
Dec. 28, 2019, Jenison, Mich.
Thomas Howing ’83
April 7, 2021, Ada, Mich.
Jodi Gruppen Kraai ’87
March 23, 2021, Zeeland, Mich.
Timothy Lewis ex’85
April 4, 2020, Belmont, Mich.
Charles Schantz ’86
July 2, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Calvin Van Dyke ’86
Feb. 15, 2021, Jenison, Mich.
David Wieringa ex’84
April 15, 2021, Lombard, Ill.
1990s
Gwen Erffmeyer Inglis ’96
May 16, 2021, Lakewood, Colo.
Mark Jansen ex’90
March 23, 2021, Lansing, Mich.
Marcus Windham Sr. ’98
Feb. 16, 2021, Mesa, Ariz.
2000s
Stephen Gresham ’01
Feb. 17, 2021, Jenkintown, Pa.
Leah Haan Koldenhoven ’06
Feb. 8, 2021, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Andrew Smith ’03
May 23, 2021, Carol Stream, Ill.
Theodore Voss ’12
April 11, 2021, Ferndale, Mich.
Gloria Goris Stronks, 1936–2021
While an accomplished teacher in her own right, Gloria Goris Stronks ’57 was not content with that achievement. It was her passion to be a teacher of teachers, a goal she pursued vigorously as both an education professor and prolific scholar and speaker for over four decades.
Gloria dedicated 16 years of her career to the education department at Calvin. Specializing in elementary and secondary education, her focus was on helping educators think about their craft through the lens of faith.
“Gloria was a respected scholar and member of the education department,” said Yvonne Van Ee, Calvin education professor emerita. “She was committed to excellence in teaching reading and guided her students in thoughtful theory and practice.”
Gloria also felt strongly about the needs of middle schoolers, an age group she spent considerable time researching and mentoring. An innovator in middle school curriculum analysis, Gloria believed in helping adolescents seek out their gifts. She was a much sought-after speaker, traveling around the world to work with teachers and schools.
Former philosophy department colleague Nicholas Wolterstorff said: “[Gloria] would cheer me on, offer suggestions for lines of thought to explore, suggest readings, etc. ... Not only was Gloria helpful in this way, she was always a delight to be with and to work with. She was energetic and winsome. She had ideas.”
Gloria, 84, died April 28 and is survived by her husband, William Stronks, Calvin director of off-campus programs emeritus; children Julia Stronks (Charles Zandbergen) and Bill Stronks (Amy Wilson-Stronks); and grandson Matt Zandbergen (Jasmine Emiko Spencer Zandbergen).
