Herbert Dreyer

With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, Herbert Dreyer was a hardworking and dedicated man whose greatest source of pride and joy was found in the family he shared with the love of his life. He couldn’t have been more thrilled when becoming a grandfather, and his family tree later blossomed to include great-grandchildren as well. Herbert was also a man of faith who generously gave of his time to serve others in a variety of ways. Although life was not without times of trial for him, his strength, courage, and perseverance were an inspiration to all who were near. Deeply loved, Herb will never be forgotten.

Marked by a time of prosperity, the Roaring Twenties emerged as a decade of economic prosperity rich with optimism and innovation. The stock market soared, and people everywhere were brimming with hope. Tunes such as Gershwin’s, “Strike Up the Band” and “Old Man River” brought excitement to the air, yet nestled in Ottawa County, Michigan, Peter and Dena (Jongekrijg) Dreyer eagerly anticipated the birth of their new baby. The big day finally arrived on February 7, 1923 when the baby boy they named Herbert drew his first breath. The fourth of seven children, Herbert was raised on the family farm alongside his older siblings, Sean, Jacob, and Henrietta, and his younger siblings, Adrian, Joanne, and Peter. Sadly, Joanne died when she was only one year old. Both of Herbert’s parents were of Dutch ancestry, and they worked hard to support their family. His father was a milkman who delivered milk while his mother was a busy homemaker.

In many ways Herbert experienced a typical upbringing. Tragedy struck in their family, however, when he and his father were out delivering milk when the truck was hit by a train in Zeeland. Sadly, his father was killed and Herbert was severely injured. He was just a young boy of eight at the time. Sadly, his mother lost the farm shortly thereafter, which sent the family to live with his aunt and uncle. Herb attended local schools including Hudsonville High School. He also loved baseball as a boy and was part of a team that won a championship.

After graduating from high school in 1941, Herb was ready for all that life had in store. He took a job at a local factory, Doehler Jarvis, where he worked as a buffer and later as a timekeeper until the company closed after he had been there for 30 years. Herb was also a union representative during that time. He then worked in the carpet business with his brother, Peter, for a time. From there Herb started his own business and was a ticket taker at the Grand Center in downtown Grand Rapids. He loved being around people and was quite a social man. He continued working until he was in his eighties, and it was only because he could no longer stand that he stopped working.

New and exciting changes were in store for Herb when he met the woman of his dreams. Her name was Lois Goudzwaard, and sparks flew from the first time they met one another on the beach in Grand Haven. They began dating, and not even one year later, Herb married his sweetheart on October 3, 1945, in a small ceremony with family.

The newlyweds took a honeymoon to Niagara Falls, New York the year after they married with best friends Dick and Connie. They spent some time living in several apartments on the Southeast side of Grand Rapids before eventually buying their first home on Merrifield SE. In 1954, they moved to a house on Parkhurst where they raised their two children, Linda and Steven. It was also the home where they would remain for the rest of their days together. As a family some of their favorite memories were made on their boat whether they were boating or skiing. They frequented Mona Lake and Big Star Lake where they spent two weeks swimming, boating, and water-skiing with Lois’ twin sisters and their families. Sometimes they also took their boat on the Grand River. Herb and his family often spent time with their large, extended family whether it was her family or his as they both remained close with their siblings.

Throughout his life Herb kept busy and was a man of many interests. He was a longtime member of Trinity Church where he was involved in different activities and served in a variety of ways including as a deacon. Around church Herbert was known for passing out hard candies to others. He was a simple man who loved a good hamburg along with a cup of coffee. As his family and friends can attest, Herb was forever talking of the old days when you could get 11 gallons of gasoline for only one dollar. He also frequently spoke of having earned a dime an hour! Additionally, Herb found the microwave oven to be one of the greatest inventions ever! He was an avid Tigers fan throughout his entire life, and enjoyed golfing with friends and relatives. For over 20 years, he and Lois left the Michigan winters behind for the month of February and spent their time at Vanderbuilt Beach where they had fun with good friends, Frank and Gloria Rasch. Back home, Herb and Lois loved being grandparents, and they focused on spending as much time with his grandchildren as they could. As their health necessitated, they moved to Stonebridge Manor, and just this past March Herbert was deeply saddened with the death of his beloved wife.

A loving, caring, and generous man, Herbert Dreyer was such a blessing in the lives of those around him. He was never one to focus on what he had, rather, he made it his mission to help others love life as much as he did. A loyal friend, Herb had a contagious zest for life that drew others near with ease. He will never be forgotten.

Herbert Dreyer, aged 92 of Grand Rapids, passed away at Yorkshire Manor on Wednesday, May 27, 2015. He is survived by his children, Linda and Edward Strom, Steven and Pam Dreyer; his grandchildren, Eric (Nadia) Strom, Sarah Strom, Marc Dreyer (fiancée, Rebecca), Missi (Pat) LaFreniere, Michael (Amber) Dreyer; great grandchildren, Haley, Zachary, Derrick, Victoria, Nicholas, Madison and Skylar; his brother, Adrian Dreyer; sisters-in-law, Marian Manni and Betty Goudzwaard. many nieces, nephews and friends. Herbert was preceded in death by his wife of 69 years, Lois Dreyer in March of 2015; his sisters and brothers, Sena (Gordon) Scholten, Jacob (Marian) Dreyer, Henrietta (Levi) VanderKolk, Peter (Jean) Dreyer, Joanne Dreyer; and sister-in-law, Anna Ruth Dreyer. Herbert was a loving and dedicated husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and brother, who will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered. A service to celebrate Herbert’s life will be held on Saturday, June 6 at 1:00 PM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW Relatives and friends may meet his family at the funeral home on Saturday from 11:00 am until the service begins at 1:00. Contributions may be made to Trinity Reformed Church. To read more about Herbert’s life, to leave your own memory of him and to sign his guest book, visit his web page at www.lifestorynet.com