August Veenstra

Augie Veenstra was known for practicing what he preached, demonstrating the principle of "Love one another" in his daily life. He led by example and was not afraid to follow his convictions and strong Christian values. His relaxed, easygoing nature sometimes manifested itself through procrastination and a lack of organization, but more importantly it gave him a down-to-earth perspective and naturally made people feel at ease. Easy to talk to and without an ounce of pretension, he was comfortable with everyone, no matter who they were.

Augie was born in Petoskey on June 24, 1934, the youngest of Louis and Jessie (VanderHyde) Veenstra's seven children. The family lived in the small community of Ellsworth, a Dutch settlement in Northern Lower Michigan. The Great Depression was in full swing at the time of Augie's birth and the Veenstras were among the many who found themselves unemployed and struggling to make ends meet. When Augie was about two years old, the family moved to Grand Rapids to find work. They settled on the West Side where many other Dutch families lived. His parents had been members of the Christian Reformed Church up north, and when they moved to Grand Rapids they became members of 12th Street Christian Reformed Church. His many years in Sunday School and church reinforced the values of honesty, integrity, and hard work that he learned from his parents.

Augie attended West Side Christian School, but he didn't really enjoy academics. Those who knew him best said that he went in one door and immediately out the other. He successfully completed the ninth grade and then decided to go to work. His interest in automobiles fueled his job search and he was able to enter the auto supply business. He worked for and eventually became the owner of Bergman Auto Supply. He later went to work in sales for CarQuest. He approached work with the same easygoing optimism that directed the rest of his life. He loved what he was doing so much that he never really looked at his work as a job.

In the mid 1950s, his sister-in-law's sister had an acquaintance that she thought Augie might be interested in. A blind date was arranged and the couple hit it off. Augie and Evelyn dated for a few years and then decided to get married. As the wedding date approached, Augie found out that the United States government had other plans for him. He received his draft notice from the Army. In answer to his supplications, Augie obtained a two-month deferment and he and Evelyn were married in February of 1957. Shortly after that, Augie left for basic training and eventually ended up at Ft. Louis, Washington, where he served as a mail clerk.

While at Ft. Louis, Evelyn was able to join him and it was there that their first daughter was born. After receiving an honorable discharge and a good conduct medal, Augie took his young family back to Grand Rapids and settled on the West Side. Augie went back to work and the family grew in number. The children kept the house hopping, but the hustle and bustle was not a problem for Augie. He had grown up in a busy household and it was not in his nature to get uptight about things. The kids knew that he was not the family's disciplinarian and sometimes tried to use that to their own advantage; but they also knew that he would always confer with Evelyn before making any important decisions.

Augie was passionate about training up his family in the ways of the Lord. After 12th Street Christian Reformed Church closed, he and Evelyn attended West Leonard Christian Reformed Church. When they later moved to a home on Crockery Lake near Casnovia, they joined Casnovia Reformed Church where Augie faithfully served as a deacon. He wanted what was best for his loved ones and trusted that their faith would grow through the family's regular church attendance. He also believed that Christian Education was vital and enrolled the children in Christian schools every year, trusting that God would provide the funds they needed and also taking the initiative to open up Veenstra's Motor Mart on West Leonard across from his brother's gas station. He worked two jobs for several years, always with the motivation of making life better for his family.

Augie worked long hours to provide for the family's needs and he did not want his children to miss out on fun times just because he wasn't home, especially in the summer. He decided to quit smoking, an accomplishment in and of itself, and used the money he saved to obtain a spot at a travel trailer park called Paradise Cove in Sand Lake MI. The lake was close to Grand Rapids so Augie could commute to work, and in the evenings they enjoyed family time around the campfire. He was pleased that he could give his family a fun place to spend the summers and he treasured every moment by the fire.

Augie sometimes took the family to Cedar Point. As if roller coasters and thrill rides weren't enough, he chose to add to the excitement of the trip by seeing just how far he could go before running out of gas. With the gas gauge on E, he would swerve back and forth on the highway to see if the remaining gas could sway in the tank enough to nudge the needle. When he did run out of gas, he relied on the kindness of strangers, expecting someone to stop and help. The rest of the family was irritated by this particular habit of his, but he stayed true to his laidback nature and took it all in stride.

After the children were grown, Augie and Evelyn left their place on Sand Lake and purchased a motor home. They traveled to state parks throughout Michigan and especially enjoyed Ludington, Pentwater, and Grand Haven. They enjoyed the freedom and mobility of the mobile home, but were always thrilled when the children and grandchildren were able to join them at the campgrounds.

In spite of Augie's easygoing nature, he did have a competitive edge. He had loved bowling all of his life and had been on several leagues for many years. The years took their toll on his score and as he got older he was not happy about his sons and sons-in-law beating him in his favorite sport. He understood and realized that he, like everyone, developed some limitations, but he didn't like it. The foremost important thing to him in the entire world, however, was his family. He cherished Sunday dinners every week and looked forward to them with great anticipation. He took great interest in his grandchildren's activities and followed all of their sports and school events. Perhaps his most revealing characteristic was the fact that he always supported them in everything they did, even if he did not think it was a good idea. His love for them drove him to build a heritage, one built upon a foundation of integrity, strong values, and commitment.

Augie died on Saturday, November 27, 2004. His brothers, Paul and Ralph Veenstra, and his sister, Margaret Meekhof, preceded him in death. Augie's family includes Evelyn, his wife of forty-seven years; his children, Darlene (Jerry) Rose, Cheryl (Rick) Shanahan, Linda (Jeff) Boggs, Don Veenstra, and Dan Veenstra; his grandchildren, Kimberly (Lee) Sytsma, Jacob Rose, Richard Shanahan, Ryan Shanahan, Katie Boggs, and Taylor Veenstra; his great grandson, Brandon Sytsma; his sister, Wilma Wierenga; his brothers and sisters-in-law, John (Elaine) Veenstra, Louis (Barb) Veenstra, Audrey Veenstra, and Lena Veenstra; several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; and several nieces and nephews.

Friends may spend time with Augie's family at the Van't Hof Chapel, 851 Leonard Street NW, on Monday, November 29, from 7 - 9 p.m. and on Tuesday, November 30, from 2 - 4 p.m. and from 7 - 9 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, December 1, at 1:00 p.m. at West Leonard Christian Reformed Church. Interment will be in Rosedale Memorial Park. Please visit Augie's personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory, order flowers, or make a memorial contribution to the American Cancer Society or the Michigan Heart Association.