Clarence Bouws

God gives gifts like peace, joy, hope and special friends. Devoted to his family, his church and his community, Clarence Bouws was one of those very special gifts. In his 91 years of life, Clare saw a great deal of the world, was a faithful servant of the Lord, and the patriarch of his family. He knew what was important in life – that there was nothing more valuable, more lasting or more rewarding than giving all you can possibly give of yourself to your children, your family and your faith.

Clare was born in a decade of advancement and struggle. While the moving assembly line increased America’s ability to produce goods, workers united to gain fair labor practices. The United States was advancing as a world power and heavily engaged in World I, the war that was meant to “end all wars.” But a most welcome event for John R. Bouws and his wife, Jennie (Brouwer), of Zeeland, Michigan, was the birth of their son, Clarence, on March 7, 1917. Clare, as he was called, was the seventh of nine Bouws children: Susan, Lambertus, Richard, Kathryn Janet, Geneva, J. Russell, Clare, Julia and Gordon.

Along with his siblings, Clare grew up on their family farm called the “Big Farm” in Zeeland, on the corner of Riley and 104th Street. His father worked hard as a farmer to support their family, while his mother undoubtedly had her hands full raising nine kids. Clare and his siblings were very close growing up, though this was not surprising considering they spent the majority of their time together working the farm. In the summer, when their chores were done, Clare and his siblings liked to cool off in the stream on their property, or do some fishing. Sundays were a more relaxed time for the Bouws, that was, of course, after the morning chores of milking and feeding the animals was done, and they attended church. Clare’s parents would attend the Dutch service in the morning, and the children attended the afternoon English service. Then, it was home for Sunday dinner and a nap, followed by a leisure walk in the woods or they played games.

Clare received his education in the area schools and graduated from Zeeland High in 1935. He then went on to attend the University of Grand Rapids (now Davenport University), where he also played on the football team and graduated in 1939. Then, in March of 1941, Clare followed the same patriotic calling of other young men of the time, and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He proudly served as a radio operator with the National Guard 32nd Division (Red Arrow) in New Guinea. At the time of his honorable discharge in 1945, Clare had attained the rank of Sergeant.

During his time in the service, Clare went on a blind date with a beautiful young lady named Betty Douma, who was a Registered Nurse. The two were drawn to each other from the very beginning, and kept in close contact while Clare was away at war. Once he was back in the states, Clare and Betty became engaged and were happily married 2 weeks later at the Trinity United Methodist Church on October 20, 1944. The newlyweds enjoyed a romantic honeymoon in Miami, Florida, staying at the Raleigh Hotel (thanks to Uncle Sam). Once the “honeymoon” was over, the couple made their first home together at Camp McCoy in Tomas, Wisconsin. Once Clare’s military service was over, the couple returned to Grand Rapids and lived on Covell Road NW, while building a home for their family at 750 Carpenter NW. It was here they happily raised their two children together: John born on October 29, 1945, and Barb born on July 30, 1949. Later in life, they moved to their cottage on Lake Macatawa in Holland, and made this their primary residence.

For Clare, family was the greatest source of happiness in his life. He loved being a father and grandfather and would do anything in the world for his children and grandchildren. When his daughter Barb’s husband, Tim, died at a young age, leaving her to raise 6 children, Clare lovingly stepped in and helped out in any way he could. Through his teaching and example, Clare was a profound influence on his grandchildren, helping them to be everything they could be. His grandson, Doug, fondly remembered salmon fishing with his Grampa, and jokingly telling him the boat engine was leaking oil, and when he came to look, he pushed him in the water. All the grandchildren cherish the memory of the trip with Grampa and Gramma to experience the WWII Memorial in Washington, DC. While Tyler, Clare’s other grandson, cherished the time he spent with his Grampa restoring an old rowboat and motor, which they called the SS Minnow. It never did complete a journey up the Black River, but these wonderful memories now become a treasure of Tyler’s heart. Granddaughter Kristin remembers fondly that Grampa was one of the biggest influences in her life, expressed so well in the words of Henri Nouwen, "To be grateful for the good things that happen in our lives is easy, but to be grateful for all of our lives - the good as well as the bad, the moments of joy as well as the moments of sorrow, the successes as well as the failures, the rewards as well as the rejections - that requires hard spiritual work. Still, we are only grateful people when we can say thank you to all that has brought us to the present moment. as long as we keep dividing our lives between events and people we would like to remember and those we would rather forget, we cannot claim the fullness of our beings as a gift of God to be grateful for. Let's not be afraid to look at everything that has brought us to where we are now and TRUST that we will soon see in it the guiding hand of a loving God".

Besides being a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather, Clare also worked for many years as an accountant for Smith Petroleum, AGM Industries and the Applied Arts Corporation. He was also active in his community as a member of the 32nd Division Red Arrow Club, a volunteer with the Crossroads Ministries and he served on the Foundation of the West Side Christian School. Clare had been raised in the Christian church, and his strong faith was a hallmark of his life. He was a longtime member of Westend Christian Reformed Church, where he served at many times as a Deacon and Elder. When Clare needed inspiration, he listened to some of his favorite old hymns, like Great is Thy Faithfulness, Abide With Me, and It Is Well With My Soul. Doug, recalls the fervent prayer that his Grampa made on Thanksgiving Day, a few days after Barb's husband, Tim was buried. Doug said “it was a prayer of lament that spoke honestly of grief, yet full of hope of the Resurrection.”

In his leisure time, Clare loved to go salmon fishing on the Big Lake, and spend as much time at their cottage as possible. When the kids were younger, the family took some very memorable trips – one was out West in 1958, and then out East in 1959. They also took numerous vacations to Florida and spent many summers in cottages all over Michigan. Later on, Clare and Betty traveled more extensively abroad, visiting India and Europe. They were also part of a group from church called the “Globetrotters” and together they traveled to the Holy Land, Canada, Mexico, Russia and the Middle East.

Although Clare will be deeply missed, his legacy of love and dedication leaves his loved ones with wonderful memories and a strong foundation to look to for comfort.

The Best of Men

by Tyler Helmus

One of the best of men we did lose

No one could fill such big shoes

I ever I tell someone it was my grandfather who died,

To them and myself I will have lied;

For of himself much more he did lend,

He was my grandfather, my father, my best friend.

How do you put into words, what a man has done for youω

To measure how much it means to help me throughω

To appraise the worth of seeing him on bended kneeω

To determine the cost of humbly molding and shaping meω

What amount of support and in me believeω

The numberω How muchω I can’t conceive

There are no units, no scales to assist,

Just the pain I feel when I think how he’ll be missed.

How can I repay the debt to him now outstandingω

I’ll try to mimic his love and understanding,

I’ll do my best to be like the man he has been,

Knowing full well no one could ever equal him again.

Clarence B. Bouws, age 91, passed away on Friday, October 31, 2008. He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty; his parents; son-in-law, Tim Helmus; and his four brothers and four sisters. Surviving is his children: John and Beth Bouws of Holland, Barb Helmus of Grand Rapids; grandchildren: Douglas and Sheri Bouws of Lincoln, CA, Robert and Amy Bouws of Hudsonville, Brent and Kristyn Bouws of Holland, Kara Bouws of Grandville, Kristin and Jason Smith of Ambridge, PA, Jill and Russ Lampen of Grand Rapids, Jeff and Rebecca Helmus of Byron Center, Laura and Ryan Diepstra of Caledonia, Jennifer Helmus and Tyler Helmus of Grand Rapids. Also surviving is his great grandchildren: Ellie, Sophia and Katie Bouws, Holly and Benjamin Bouws, Autumn Bouws, Tyler, Clarence Wesley and Avery Smith, Annika and Greta Lampen, Madeline and Andrew Helmus; sisters-in-law, Julia (Russ, dec’d) Bouws, Leona (Gordon, dec’d) Bouws; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, November 4, at 11 a.m. at Westend Christian Reformed Church, 1015 Westend NW, Grand Rapids, with Rev. Henry Admiraal and Rev. Douglas Bouws officiating. Interment will be in Zeeland Cemetery. Friends may meet the family at Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes – Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 21209 Lake Michigan Drive NW, Grand Rapids, on Sunday, November 2, from 7-9 p.m. and on Monday, November 3, from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to West Side Christian School Foundation, 955 Westend NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, Crossroads Bible Institute, PO Box 900, 49509, or the Christian Rest Home, 1000 Edison NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504. Please visit Clare’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory or photo with his family or sign his online guest book.