Fred Slikkers

Fred Slikkers led a life saturated with honesty, integrity and respect. He was a gifted and talented man who used his abilities to make a wonderful life for his family as well as those less fortunate. Fred was many things in his life – a soldier, a hard worker, an educator, but most importantly, a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather. A true family man, Fred cherished all the time he spent with his loved ones, and in their company you could always find a proud smile on his face.

In the year 1933, America found itself in trouble as the Great Depression pushed toward new heights as one in every four individuals was unemployed. It was a hard and challenging time, but in Holland, Michigan, Leslie and Dorothy (Fleming) Slikkers kept their positive spirits by focusing on a special new blessing in their lives. On April 7, 1933, the couple delighted in the birth of their only child, a son they named Fredric.

Fred was a happy-go-lucky child who enjoyed a typical childhood full of fun and adventure. He spent his first eight years growing up in Holland, where he started school at Van Raalte Elementary. He then moved to Grand Rapids and settled in a home on Colfax NE, where he would reside the rest of his life. When Fred was 15, his mother remarried Harold “Mac” McKay, who had four children of his own, making Fred an instant brother.

Fred went on to complete his education at Palmer Elementary School and graduated from Creston High in 1951. He then worked for a year before following the same patriotic calling of many other young men of the time, and enlisted in the U.S. Army with one of his friends. From 1952 to 1955, Fred bravely served in Okinawa during the Korean Conflict as a Morse Code Operator. It was while in the service that Fred met his first wife, Margaret Laughlin, and they were married in 1955. The couple had five wonderful children: Cindy, twins: Fred and Francine, Randy and Stacy, whom they raised in the Grand Rapids area.

During this time, Fred had earned his teaching certificate and taught at St. Alphonsus School and later at Fairview Elementary. Although he loved teaching and had a great mind for it, Fred felt more productive teaching a small group of people rather than in a full classroom. So he left the classroom and began working in various capacities for the State of Michigan. At the same time, Fred went back to school at Grand Valley State College, where he earned his degree in Social Work in 1972. He put his education to good use working for the State of Michigan Bureau of Regulatory Services until his retirement in 1990, after 30 years of service.

Unfortunately, Fred’s marriage to Margaret ended in divorce. But he would find love again in 1986, when he met Cindy Kieviet, and they were happily married in 1996. As a couple, they loved to travel around, especially to antique shows, train depots and museums, particularly those featuring steam engines. Throughout their travels, Fred kept an eye out for prized pieces to add to his Hotei and train collections. An educator at heart, Fred just couldn’t stop teaching all together, so after retiring from the State, he went to work with his son, Randy, as a scout for Vision Quest. They traveled with a youth program, which allowed Fred to work on a more personal level with the kids, giving his work greater meaning. Fred came out of his retirement a second time to help start the Alternative Rehabilitation Services Corporation with his son, Randy, and their wives. He became the chief administrative officer and in the five years that Fort Rosa Parks Juvenile Military Academy was open, over 1000 youth were taught a value that Fred held close – honor. Aside from helping children, Fred also gave back to his community, volunteering with the Youth Contact Center, Rape Crisis Center, Crash’s Landing and the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans.

Although Fred made his career as an educator, it was apparent that his most important job in life was taking care of his children. He was always attentive and supportive of them in every endeavor they undertook, and of course, he made sure to stress the importance of education. Whenever his kids asked a question, Fred didn’t just give them a quick response, he gave a very detailed explanation so they were sure to understand. Because of his vast knowledge, he was the man to have on your team when playing trivia games. When his children were growing up, they took many vacations as a family to Detroit and Indiana to visit relatives, and spent many memorable summers at a cottage on Bills Lake near Newaygo. As his kids got older and had families of their own, Fred held family reunions at his house on Labor Day weekend for many years. Once the reunion was underway, Fred was in his glory, surrounded by the love and smiles of his children and grandchildren.

Fred had many interests to keep him busy after his retirement. As an educator, he always had a thirst for knowledge and enjoyed reading National Geographic and solving a good crossword puzzle. In his spare time, Fred wrote and published a poetry book and had a chapter printed in the History of Grand Rapids book. Geneology research became a significant part of Fred’s life. He traced his family and had found ancestors as far back as the 1600s. If his research required travel, Fred usually took along his son-in-law and good friend, Jim. When friends expressed an interest in exploring their own roots, Fred volunteered to help or do the research for them. Fred was a great guy that everyone wanted to know, but his dry sense of humor often left others a little stumped. He would quite regularly cut interesting headlines out of the newspaper and send them to Jay Leno, hoping for his one minute of fame, which never came. A well rounded man, Fred had a brown belt in Tai Kwon Do, was conscientious of the environment and wildlife, and was a pack rat, though a meticulously organized one!

Fred had suffered with various health problems for years, but he was obstinate about going to the doctor. Sadly, he died unexpectedly on Saturday, January 19, 2008, at the age of 74.

When it comes to the ideal father and grandfather, Fred’s children couldn’t ask for more. He was a devoted family man with a heart that always remained full of love. He will be deeply missed and frequently remembered.

Fred is survived by his wife of 11 years, Cindy Slikkers; five children: Cindy (Don) Foley, Fred (Roxanne) Slikkers, Francine (Jim) Robinson, Randy (Genevieve) Slikkers and Stacy Noonan; his children’s mother, Marge (Bill) Tuttle; 11 grandchildren: Emily and Erin Foley, Nathan Durtche, Brittany and Courtney Slikkers, Rachel and Carly Robinson, Savannah Slikkers, Sara and Sheila Noonan and Stryker Schuitema; 4 great grandchildren: Nakiya, Ezekiel, Nathan and Randy Jr.; three step-brothers: Tom (Shirlene), Robert (Carol) and Roger (Linda) McKay; one step sister, Nancy (Ray) Dewey; and many dear friends.

Relatives and friends may visit with Fred’s family on Tuesday, January 22, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Van Strien - Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield NE, Grand Rapids. A memorial gathering will be held on Sunday, January 27 at 3 PM at the American Legion Boat and Canoe Club, 401 N Park St Ne in Grand Rapids. A party to celebrate his life will follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Grand Rapids Home for Veterans or Crash’s Landing. Please visit Fred’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory with his family or sign his online guest book.