Herman Folkertsma

With a life that spanned many decades, Herman Folkertsma was a man of great strength, integrity, and faith. He honorably served his country during a time of need and worked hard in whatever he was doing. Herm was blessed to share more than 60 years with the love of his life with whom he created the family he treasured above all else. A kind and loving man, Herm was close to his brothers, instilling within his children the incredible value of family. Although he loved traveling with his wife, Herm was happiest wherever his family was gathered.

Life in America during the year 1920 looked very different than the life we know today. What became known as the “Roaring Twenties” was a time in which our nation was introduced to ballroom dancing, crossword puzzles, and the explosion of American baseball with greats such as Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth. This was a life-changing time for the family of William and Alice (Soetenga) Folkertsma as they welcomed their son, Herman, into their hearts and home on October 7, 1920. Born in Racine, Wisconsin, Herm was one of six boys in his family including brothers John, Duke, Ed, Abe, and Bill. His father worked for Standard Oil Company while his mother was a homemaker and a cook for both Herpolsheimer’s Department Store and Kent Country Club.

For his education, Herm attended West Side Christian School and by the time he entered junior high, the prosperity of the twenties gave way to the hardship of the Great Depression. Like so many other young people of this generation, Herm left school after the eighth grade so that he could join the workforce. He began working for General Motors but after our nation was attacked at our naval base in Pearl Harbor, Herm answered the call to serve his country. He joined the Navy in 1941 and even though he was overseas, his heart remained connected to his sweetheart back home. Her name was Phyllis DeBoer and they met on a blind date before Herm entered the service. A whirlwind romance ensued and the couple was married less than one year later in the parsonage of West Leonard Christian Reformed Church on Christmas Day.

Although he was a new husband, Herm had duties to fulfill for his country so he returned to the Navy while Phyllis returned home to live with relatives. In dry-dock aboard the USS Pennsylvania, a welder’s torch set off a reservoir of airplane fuel causing a huge explosion that killed the sailor next to Herm and left Herm with extensive injuries. He was moved to a hospital in the state of Washington where he was soon joined by his wife.

When he was discharged from the Navy, Herm and his bride returned to Grand Rapids where they lived at Garfield and Walker NW. It was there that they were blessed with the birth of their son, Phil. His mother talked Herm into joining his brother, Bill, in the sawdust business rather than returning to General Motors. This provided Herm with a stable job as sawdust was frequently used as an absorbent for meat markets and slaughterhouses. Their family of three later moved into Gramma's house on Arianna NW, where they grew to include two more children, Bob and Sue. By 1954, the Folkertsma family had moved to Crosby NW where their family was completed with the birth of their son, Dan.

Family always played an important role in Herm’s family. Sunday mornings after church was a time that was reserved for coffee with his brothers and their families. The coffee was always followed with stronger libations for the brothers. Herm and his brothers had a hunting cabin on Bois Blanc Island that was used for hunting during deer season and then for family vacations during the summer. There were memorable camping trips to Grand Haven complete with an Army surplus tent each summer as well. Herm shared very close relationships with all his brothers and it was not uncommon for him to make the rounds to all of his brothers’ homes. The brothers certainly could get into it with each other as brothers so often do, but woe is the person who got between them as Folkertsma blood ran deep! Herm's mother was truly the matriarch of the family and her boys were her world. What a joyous reunion in heaven there must have been when they were all reunited once again.

After working with brother Bill in the sawdust business he worked for Blodgett Uncrated Furniture for a number of years.

There were other interests in Herm’s life in addition to spending time with his family. After he retired from the Blodgett Furniture in 1979, he and Phyllis soon sold their house on Crosby. They then divided their time between Hess Lake, near Newaygo, and Florida, spending six months at each home. Herm and Phyllis were members at West Leonard Street Christian Reformed Church for many years and after they retired to their trailer on Hess Lake, they became members of Grant Reformed Church. Then in 1992, they moved to a home on Fruit Ridge and became members of Richmond Reformed Church where he remained a member throughout the rest of his life. Herm and Phyllis enjoyed travelling and their most memorable trip was in 1988 when they went to Alaska and crossed the Inside Passage. Herm bowled for years at Wenger's on the West Side and enjoyed golfing, deer hunting, fishing, and dancing to big band music. He was also a member of the American Legion and St. George’s Hall. According to Herm, nothing hit the spot quite like a great steak, but he was always sure to offer a compliment and a word of thanks about anything Phyllis made.

During the sunset of their lives, Herm and Phyllis both faced health issues that eventually led them to take up residence in the Christian Rest Home. Herm was deeply saddened with Phyllis’s death in 2007, but he continued to find joy in his family during the days that followed.

Herman Folkertsma was a man of many interests, but nothing was of greater importance to him than spending time with his family. He worked hard throughout his life, but still found time to enjoy each and every day along the way. Although it was difficult for his family to see his decline the past three years, they were some of the most precious times they shared. Herm leaves behind a rich tapestry of memories - a reflection of a life well lived.

Herman Folkertsma died on Wednesday, July 28, 2010. Herm’s family includes his children, Philip (Nancy) Folkertsma and their children, Rick (Kim) Folkertsma, Lori Tuttle-Measure and husband Scott; Robert (Kate) Folkertsma and son David; Sue (Rick) Visser and children, Tara (Mike) Sherd, Tammy (Chris) Roberts, Rick (Carly) Visser; , Dan (Sandi) Folkertsma and children, Casey, Dani and Connor Folkertsma. Also surviving are Nancy Folkertsma and great-grandchildren, Chelsea, Chaney, Alvin, Taylor, Kyler, Ainsley, Brogan, Cavan and Ember; sisters-in-law Janet and Betty Folkertsma and June West; and many nieces and nephews. Herm was preceded in death by his wife Phyllis and all of his brothers. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes – Alt & Shawmut – Grand Rapids, MI, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr NW with interment in Washington Park Memorial Gardens. Friends may meet the family on Friday from 7-9 p.m. and on Saturday for one hour prior to the service. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial contribution to the Christian Rest Home, 1000 Edison NW, 49504 or the West Side Christian School, 955 Westend NW, 49504.