Dick Myers

Humble, loving, and kind, Dick Myers lived a life rich in faith, family, and friends. Dick was very laid back, hard to rattle, and possessed a great sense of humor. With an unassuming nature, he was difficult to rattle and chose to see the good in others. Though quiet, he never hesitated to give what he could to support people's goals and dreams and lighten the loads others carried. Dick embodied the principles of his faith; he met each day with gratitude and inspired love, hope, and joy in the hearts of others. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, Dick will long be remembered and so dearly missed.

1948 proved a year of continued celebration of the end of World War II. As America's heroes eagerly returned home, a renewed spirit and hope filled the air. American prosperity grew like no other time in our history. The Greatest Generation soon proliferated, creating the age of the Baby Boomers. The cause for celebration grew even greater for Robert and Jean (Terpstra) Myers as they welcomed their son, Richard Allen, to their family on December 8 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The second of four children, Dick grew up on Arthur Street on the NE side of Grand Rapids. He enjoyed spending many hours at the open field across the street from his home playing baseball, football, and bike riding with neighbors. Dick enjoyed a good childhood rooted in a loving home filled with pranks and jokes that were always good fun. Naturally easygoing, Dick was a contented child, but he was also late to just about everything, a trait he kept his entire life.

When he was young, his family started a tradition of vacationing for a week each summer. Though they began with a rented cottage on Big Pine Island Lake, his dad felt the only place to really vacation was in the Upper Peninsula, so they started making annual trips to Curtis, Michigan, a continued tradition. Dick always enjoyed fishing or going to bear sightings and the local dump, but most important were the strong bonds created between family members that would span generations.

Dick attended Hillcrest Elementary School, and the firm foundation of his faith was established at Central Reformed Church. While a student at Central High School, Dick began working at Steketee's Audio. As a senior in high school, mutual friends introduced Dick to Kathy Hofstra. Once he mustered the courage to ask her out, Kathy said "yes," and they enjoyed a first date to Holland State Park in March.

The couple continued dating through the college years. Dick first attended Grand Rapids Junior College before completing his degree at Western Michigan University. Dick and Kathy married on July 31, 1970, at Lee Street Christian Reformed Church before traveling to Niagara Falls, stopping first in Detroit for a Tigers Game.

After living for a short time in an apartment, the newlyweds moved to Tamarack Street, where they raised their family, which would grow to include three children. Shelly, Brian, and Jill were the centers of their world, and Dick worked hard to provide well for his family. Dick also enjoyed raising his family with the same fun-loving, pestering ways he grew up, with a lot of joking and much fun with his kids. At his core, Dick was a servant, driven to help people and feeling most fulfilled when he could. This was very apparent to his children, and they knew that while he worked hard, he would never hesitate to drop everything if they needed him.

An active member of Alpine Avenue Christian Reformed Church, which later merged and became Westend Church, Dick readily volunteered his time and talents, generously serving the fellowship. He was often involved in the audio side of the church, as well as serving on several boards and as a deacon.

In time, Dick recognized an opportunity to start his own business. For 26 years, he owned and operated Stereo Showcase on 28th Street. Generally a quiet person, he was very relationship-driven at work. He possessed a lot of knowledge, and his customers and employees meant a lot to him. Over the years, Dick and Kathy enjoyed several sales trips and participated in the annual consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. After the store closed, Dick worked for Buursma Electronics for several more years before retiring in 2017.

In addition to taking many other trips, the family enjoyed a lot of camping, often with their close group of friends as well as extended family. Building on his many fond memories from his childhood, Dick continued to relish in the annual trips to Curtis, Michigan, especially once he became a grandfather and he could witness his grandchildren looking forward to the trip each year. In recent years, Dick and Kathy were able to visit some friends in Florida each winter, creating more beautiful memories.

On Sundays, Dick and Kathy enjoyed hosting their family for dinners, and it wasn't uncommon to have over 20 guests. Dick was always up for a batch of chocolate chip cookies, and as a lifelong Detroit and Michigan Wolverines sports fan, Dick loved watching his favorite teams on TV.

One of the greatest gifts Dick gave his family was his marriage to Kathy. Tender and gentle-hearted, Dick was a tremendous husband who started many days by greeting his beloved with a warm "good morning beautiful" that reflected his love and appreciation. Dick's family will also remember his epic "stories," many of which were embellished, strung together with loose facts or complete fiction, and all focused on fun and love for others.

After recovering from heart surgery in 2017, Dick was then diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019. With Kathy's and his family's support, he was able to continue to enjoy each day to the fullest until about two months ago, when things became most trying. Fortunately, he was able to remain home and passed away in the comforts of the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved so deeply.

Without a doubt, life feels far less certain in the absence of Dick's steadfast companionship. May we find much comfort in our many treasured memories and in the honor of carrying his legacy of faith, hope, and love forward. In each moment we generously give of our time and talents in service of others, gather around the table or campfire with loved ones, gather for joyful worship of God, and greet our loved ones with warmth and affection, we celebrate the countless ways Dick made the world a better place. In this way, we keep his fun-loving spirit alive and inspiring others as he so inspired us.

Richard "Dick" Allen Myers, age 75, of Grand Rapids, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on January 1, 2024. He is survived by his wife, Kathy; their children, Shelly & Kevin Walters, Brian & Alisha Myers, Jill & Micah Graybill; grandchildren Abby, TJ and Sam Walters, Adalyn, Reese, and Cora Myers, Anna, Jessa, Joe, and Isaac Graybill; brothers and sisters Bob (Phyllis) Myers, Nancy Veenstra, Chuck (Pat) Myers; mother-in-law, Bertha Hofstra; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Ron & Judi Hofstra, Ruthe & Garry Mulder, Tom & Eddi Hofstra, Sheri & Ross Leisman, Phyllis & Jeff Looy, Mike Zuiderveen, Steve & Brenda Zuiderveen, Linda & Scott Vredevoogd, as well as many nieces and nephews.

The service to remember and celebrate Dick's life will be held on Friday, January 5, at 11 AM at Westend Christian Reformed Church. Friends are invited to visit with his family on Thursday from 3-5 and 6-8 PM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel. For those who wish, memorial contributions to Westend Church to be used for mission trips are appreciated. To read more about Dick, to share a memory, to sign his guestbook, visit www.heritagelifestory.com