Todd M. Zokoe

Todd Zokoe was the kind of person who made people feel seen, cared for, and loved. He enriched the lives of all those he met in ways big and small. His family was undoubtedly his greatest treasure, and he lived out his faith in word and deed, going above and beyond to serve others. Dearly loved by so many, Todd will be forever missed, and his shining legacy will be carried on for many years to come.

The early 1960s were alive with music, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and a whole generation of sounds that would define an era, and it was right in the middle of all of it that Todd Michael Zokoe came into the world. It was Charles and Jean (Hartley) Zokoe's third baby, born September 26, 1961. Todd joined his two older brothers, Chuck and Dan, in the Zokoe family. Before long, he became an older brother himself to his two younger siblings, Mark and Tammy.

Todd’s formative years were spent in Standale, Michigan. As the middle child in his household, he was a bit of a mama’s boy and is remembered as the “golden child” of the family. Todd grew up playing and swimming in Sand Creek, sledding at Johnson Park, and working on his grandparents’ farm. His education began at Cummings Elementary School in Mrs. Sparpana’s kindergarten class. Todd went on to attend Grandville High School, balancing his studies with a job as a busboy at the Matterhorn in Standale. He enjoyed playing backyard baseball and earned his nickname, “the vacuum.” Todd also liked hanging out with his tight-knit group of friends at McDonald's, listening to music, and riding dirtbikes. He graduated from Grandville High in 1979, eager to see what the future held.

One of Todd's friends in his high school years was a girl named Laurie Wiersma. The two went on a couple of dates, but it was their genuine friendship that quietly laid the foundation for something much deeper. By 1984, that friendship had blossomed into something neither of them could ignore, and they began seriously dating. They made each other laugh, pushed each other forward, and simply brought out the best in one another. With a desire to spend the rest of their lives together, Todd and Laurie got engaged, and on April 26, 1986, they were united in marriage at Standale Reformed Church. After the wedding, they built their first home together on Wyatt in Grandville, and the newlyweds enjoyed a honeymoon to Disney World and SeaWorld, which happened to be Todd's very first time on a plane!

It wasn’t long before Todd’s family began to grow. He and Laurie were overjoyed to welcome their first daughter, Amanda, into their arms in 1987 and their second daughter, Alyssa, in 1990. The arrival of their son, Scott, in 1994 brought their family to completion. Todd strove to be deeply involved in his children's lives, never missing a special event, including every year at Christmastime, taking his kids shopping for their mom, a tradition they all loved. He spent countless hours outdoors snowmobiling, building and creating anything his children could dream up, from playhouses to school projects, and playing in the waves at Grand Haven State Park. He was the epitome of a family man. Todd raised his children well and instilled in them the importance of kindness and generosity. His kids were his greatest source of pride and joy.

Todd took his role as the provider of his household very seriously, and he was never one to shy away from hard work. He began his professional career working as an apprentice at Steelcase. Todd was a model designer and maker with Steelcase until the early 2000s, when he moved to continue building his career at Herman Miller. He enjoyed attending the trade shows, especially NeoCon in Chicago and New York City. After 39 years in the office furniture industry, Todd retired in March of 2020 after receiving his diagnosis.

Todd’s compassion knew no limits, and he gave freely of his time and energy to pour into his community. He was very active in his church home, Standale Reformed, and served wherever needed. When his kids were in youth group, Todd led his family to hand out meals to the homeless in downtown Grand Rapids. He was deeply passionate about serving these people in need. Every Wednesday, he would go downtown to hand out bagged lunches to the homeless. It was through this volunteer work that he met Mike. Mike was homeless at the time, and he and Todd quickly struck up a friendship that lasted for 17 years. Mike would come over every Saturday and help Todd around the house, swim in the pool, and quickly became part of the family. Mike was able to get a job, find the Lord, and claims that Todd saved his life.

Later in life, Todd was absolutely thrilled to become a grandpa to Nora, Lennon, Georgia, Vivian, and Olive. He adored his grandkids more than anything in the world and was proudly known as “Pa.” There was truly nothing Todd loved more than having all of his family together. From years spent in Fort Myers Beach, nights downtown Grand Rapids at the Amway Grand Plaza, to more recent annual family trips to places like Arizona and Mexico, those were the moments Todd loved most. Being together was truly Todd’s favorite way to be. Todd was so grateful, and he considered himself blessed to be surrounded by those who loved him so well.

If you asked Dad what his hobbies were, he'd probably have a hard time answering, not because he didn't have interests, but because his family was the thing he was most passionate about. While he took meticulous care of his lawn with his prized John Deere, loved his black Ford F-150, and enjoyed a Diet Coke with a splash of Captain Morgan, those were just the details around the edges of a life that was really about people. His favorite place was wherever his family was. His favorite sound was a full house. And his favorite music, Chicago and Journey, was always best when someone else was in the room to enjoy it with him. Because that was Dad. And at every wedding, without fail, the moment the YMCA came on, he was on that dance floor, arms up, grinning, reminding everyone in the room exactly how to live.

As we gather to reflect on the overflowing life of Todd Zokoe, it is easy to celebrate a man who was a friend to everyone he met, bringing light and laughter to every room he walked into. A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, Todd cherished every moment with his family, and he was a powerful role model of service and integrity for the Lord. Although life will never be the same without Todd here, he leaves behind a precious collection of memories that his loved ones will forever hold close.

Todd Michael Zokoe age 64, of Grand Rapids, passed away on May 5, 2026. He was preceded in death by his parents, Chuck and Jean Zokoe; sister-in-law Judy Zokoe; and nephew, Michael Zokoe. Todd is survived by his wife of 40 years, Laurie; children, Amanda (Charlie) Stafford, Alyssa (Johnny) Hunter and Scott (Rachel) Zokoe; grandchildren, Nora, Lennon, Georgia, Vivian and Olive; siblings, Chuck (Cheri) Zokoe, Tim Zokoe, Mark (Deb) Zokoe and Tammy Freedman; brothers-in-law, Randy (Mary) Wiersma and Greg (Shari) Wiersma; and several nieces and nephews. The funeral service will be held at 2 PM on Saturday, May 9 at Standale Reformed Church, 202 Cummings Ave NW. Visitation will be held from 4-8 PM on Thursday, May 7 and from 12-2 PM on Friday, May 8 at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Alt and Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Matthew House Ministry. Celebrate Todd’s life by sharing a favorite memory or photo on his dedicated memory page at heritagelifestory.com