Phillip Dreyer, 72
Phillip Dreyer, 72, passed away at home, surrounded by family, on Saturday, June 7, 2025 after a lingering battle with lung cancer.
Phil was a lifelong resident of Blendon Township and graduated from Unity Christian High School in 1970. In 1975 he married the love of his life, Maxine, and they had three children. Phil received his skilled trades degree in tool and die at Grand Rapids Community College while working at Alloy-Tech. He retired from L-3 Communications in 2020.
Phil was a member of Fellowship Reformed Church for 45 years and possessed a quiet personal closeness with his Savior.
Phil was preceded in death by his son, Jason Robert, in 1982. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Maxine; children, Brian (Dawn) Dreyer and Stephanie (Jordan) Nederveld; grandchildren, Katelyn, Evan and Madison Dreyer, Sophia, Natalie and Solomon Nederveld; great-granddaughter; Stella Dreyer; sister, Bev (Larry) Vanden Bosch; brother, Ed (Diane) Dreyer; brothers-in-law, Wes (Cindy) Bell and Robb (Rachel) Bell; and sister-in-law, Kelli (Tom) Ash.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, June 13, at Fellowship Reformed Church, 6610 36th Ave., Hudsonville. Interment will be in Blendon Township Cemetery. Visitation will be tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. at Yntema Funeral Home, 251 S. State St., Zeeland.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to your favorite veteran’s association.
Alvin Vander Ploeg, 96
Alvin Paul Vander Ploeg, age 96, passed away on Friday, June 6, 2025.
Al was born on Jan. 21, 1929, in Holland to Leonard and Evelyn Vander Ploeg. In Al’s early years, he met the love of his life, Beatrice Folkert.
On Dec. 16, 1949, Al and Beatrice were married. He was a meat cutter for Charley’s Market in Holland for 34 years. Al loved the Lord and was a member of Pillar Christian Reformed Church, Grace Reformed Church, and most recently Community Reformed Church in Zeeland.
Al is survived by his children, Sue (Chuck) Freriks, Dr. Douglas (Betsy) Vander Ploeg, Kelly (Christi) Vander Ploeg, and Randy (Connie) Vander Ploeg; eight grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and brother, Mike (Carrie) Vander Ploeg. His life was enriched by his special friend, Lois Vander Zwaag.
Al was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Beatrice Vander Ploeg; brother, Lavern Vander Ploeg; and sister-in-law, Rosalyn Vander Ploeg.
A funeral service for Alvin was held Tuesday, June 10, at Community Reformed Church, 10376 Felch St., Zeeland.
Cecil Williams, 94
Cecil Lee Williams, 94, of Holland, passed away at his home in Freedom Village on Monday, June 2, 2025.
He was born on Aug. 28, 1930, in Pratt, Kan., to Thelma (Miskimmin) Williams and Frank Lee Williams. He was preceded in death by his parents, his two younger siblings, James Doyle Williams (Wilma Barnett) and Helen Nadine Schuster (Donald Schuster), and an infant son.
Cecil attended Preston, Kan. consolidated schools and was named valedictorian of his 15-member high school graduating class in 1948. He went on to attend Baker University in Baldwin, Kan., before joining the United States Navy in January 1951 at the beginning of the Korean conflict. He served aboard the USS Castor (AKS-1) with the Pacific Fleet, and was later assigned to the 8th Naval District in New Orleans, La.
In May 1953, Cecil married Elizabeth Jane (Bette) Brewster. The couple made their first home in New Orleans before returning to Baldwin in 1955 to complete Cecil’s undergraduate degree.
After receiving his Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Kansas in 1963, he joined the university’s Counseling Center, working there until 1967. He then served as Associate Professor of Counseling at Michigan State University in East Lansing until 1979, when he joined the research division of Herman Miller in Ann Arbor as part of a team developing the Facility Management Institute.
When that division closed in 1986, Cecil became Director of Health and Wellness at Herman Miller, a position that led him and Bette to settle in Holland. Cecil retired from Herman Miller in 1995, after which he co-founded DCW Consulting in Grand Haven.
Cecil was a longtime member of Hope Church in Holland, where he also served as an elder.
He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Bette; children, Anne Williams (Steve Portigal) and Tom Williams (Sally Steuer); and nine nieces and nephews and their families.
On Saturday, July 12, following a private family committal service in the Hope Church Memorial Garden, there will be a visitation and reception at Hope Church at 11 a.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hope Church, the Freedom Village Scholarship Fund, or the Parkinson’s Foundation.
Calvin Walters, 80
Calvin Larry Walters, 80, of Holland, passed away on June 4, 2025.
Calvin was born on Aug. 12, 1944, in Graafschap. A proud veteran of the United States Air Force, he is survived by his siblings, Vern and Sharon Walters, Leon and Ruiling Walters, Marjorie Floyd and Mun Chung, and Martha and Brian Douthitt; as well as nieces and nephews.
Calvin was preceded in death by his parents, Elden and Jacoba Walters.
A private family graveside service was held at Zeeland Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be given to Holland Rescue Mission.
Larry Helder, 72
Larry Dale Helder, 72, died peacefully at his home in Holland on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, following a long struggle with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).
Born in Zeeland on April 11, 1953, to Lorraine and Clarence Helder, Larry grew up in “The Heights” area of Holland where he loved playing in the woods, the Black River lowlands, and later ramming around on dirt bikes with his high school friends.
After graduating from Holland Christian High School in 1971, he followed his keen interest in how things worked and found employment at Wirick Office Machines in Holland. He was later sent for more advanced training to a business machine repair school in Tarrytown, N.Y.
Larry eventually enrolled in Hope College as a non-traditional student where he studied English, geology, philosophy and religion, graduating in 1982. After college, Larry joined an overseas mission program where he taught English to Japanese high school students in the Utsunomiya prefecture in Japan.
Upon his return from Japan, Larry started his own small business as an interior house painter. He soon added wallpapering and light carpentry to his skill set. Larry’s attention to detail, craftsmanship and love of old houses quickly gained him a reputation in the Holland Historic District and beyond, including contributions to the Cappon House in Holland and the Felt Mansion restoration in Laketown Township.
In 1999, Larry met Lyn Raymond. They shared many interests including a love of hiking, good books, good food and the beauty of Northern Michigan. In 2013 they were married in the Leelanau County Courthouse.
Larry is survived by his wife, Lyn Raymond; siblings, Christi (Terry), Rosie, Kathy (Virgil), and Bob (Karyn); many nieces and nephews, and dear friends. Larry was predeceased by his parents; father-in-law, Dick Raymond; and brother-in-law, Ron Hutson.
Arrangements for cremation were made by the Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home in Holland. At Larry’s request, there was no funeral or memorial service. An informal gathering to remember Larry will take place later in the summer.
Karen Lee, 74
Karen Lee, 74, of Zeeland, passed away on Thursday, June 5, 2025.
Born on Oct. 28, 1949, in Ludington to George and Alma Walker, Karen was a fun-loving spirit. She delighted in nurturing her love for dogs. She also cherished her sons and grandchildren.
Karen is survived by her sons, Shannon Lee and Jason Lee; granddaughters, Whisper Lee and Unity Lee; sisters, Doreen Christensen and Teresa Walker; numerous nieces, nephews and extended family and friends. Karen was preceded in death by her son, Nathan Lee; grandson, Ethan Lee; and brothers, Dale Walker and Doug Walker.
Private family burial was in Lakeview Cemetery in Ludington.
Timothy Looman, 55
Timothy Looman, 55, of Holland, passed away Friday, May 30, 2025.
Tim was a 1987 graduate from West Ottawa High School and received an associate degree from Ferris State University in construction management. He then graduated from Davenport University with a degree in information technology.
Tim was employed by Herman Miller for 22 years as a systems analyst and then became an IT consultant for several companies.
Tim played soccer and baseball and enjoyed coaching his sons and their teams in youth soccer and T-ball, and Little League baseball. He was the varsity baseball coach at Black River Public School in Holland.
Tim is survived by his sons, Trevor (Clara Phillips) Looman and Wesley Looman; Kim Looman, mother of his children; parents, Rich and Letty Looman; sisters, Jan and Todd Wehrmeyer, Sara and Tom Gortsema, Susan and Pat Collins; 10 nieces and nephews; several aunts, uncles, and cousins.
A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, June 13 at Fellowship Reformed Church, 2165 W. Lakewood Blvd., Holland. Interment will be in North Holland Cemetery. Visitation will be tonight from 5 to 7 p.m. at Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 E. 16th St., Holland.
Memorial contributions may be given to the Harbor Humane Society at harborhumane.org, Black River Public Schools Athletics (specify athletics in your online donation) at blackriverpub licschool.org, or Holland Little League, P.O. Box 1126, Holland, MI 49422 or at hollandlittle league.com.
Marilyn Kraai, 89
Marilyn “Kay” Kraai, 89, of Zeeland, passed away peacefully on Monday, June 2, 2025.
Kay was born April 17, 1936, in North Blendon, on the Edward and Ada (Roon) Hassevoort family farm, one of 18 children. Kay went to school in North Blendon through eighth grade and eventually earned her GED from Zeeland High School. She married Terry Kraai on Jan. 29, 1953.
Kay and Terry raised their seven children at their home just north of Zeeland and were members of Third Christian Reformed Church. Kay worked for Zeeland Public Schools for 28 years in food service before her retirement. She was preceded in death by her 17 siblings, and by her son, Gene Kraai, in 1986.
She is survived by her husband of 72 years, Terry; children, Keith (Mary) Kraai, David Kraai, Steve (Tami) Kraai, Dan (Deb) Kraai, Diane (Patrick) Nelis and Chuck (Lori) Kraai; daughter-in-law, Jodi Van Order; 19 grandchildren; 36 great-
grandchildren; in-laws, Ken Knapp, Bev Hassevoort, Betty Hassevoort and Allen Kraai; and many extended family members.
A funeral service was held Friday, June 6 at Third Christian Reformed Church, 10 W. Central Ave., Zeeland.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Gene Kraai Memorial Scholarship C/O Community Foundation of Holland/ Zeeland, or Hospice of Holland.
Nellie Beyer, 81
Nellie Beyer, 81, of Zeeland, passed away Saturday, May 31, 2025.
Nellie was preceded in death by her husband, Jim; daughter-in-law, Kim Beyer; and sister, Sally Van Harn. She worked at Holland Hospital and Zeeland Community Hospital as a nurse for her 35-year career.
She is survived by her sons, Jeff and Carrie Beyer, Todd and Marcy Beyer, and Derek Beyer; grandchildren, Erika Beyer, Travis and Amber Beyer, Tyler and Tara Beyer, Jarod Arendsen, Sydney Arendsen, Zachary Beyer, Quentin Beyer and Keegan Beyer; sisters, Susan and John Stam, and Annie Ingelson; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Faith Wolf, Jan and Roy Alofs and Mike and Denise Beyer.
A funeral service was held Friday, June 6 at Yntema Funeral Home, 251 S. State St., Zeeland. Interment was in Zeeland Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be given to Zeeland Fire and Rescue.
