Honoring Tradition.
Celebrating Life.

Kent Spoolstra

September 10, 2022
Walker, MI

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Visitation

Thursday, September 15, 2022
5:00 PM to 8:30 PM EDT
Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes
Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel
2120 Lake Michigan Dr., N.W.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-8263
Driving Directions

Visitation

Friday, September 16, 2022
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM EDT
Westview Christian Reformed Church
2929 Leonard St NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-3105
Map
Web Site

Service

Friday, September 16, 2022
11:00 AM EDT
Westview Christian Reformed Church
2929 Leonard St NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-3105
Map
Web Site

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

Westview CRC’s Facility Team
2929 Leonard St NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-3105
Map
Web Site

Flowers


Below is the contact information for a florist recommended by the funeral home.

Ball Park Floral
8 Valley Ave.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 459-3409
Driving Directions
Web Site

Life Story / Obituary


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LIFE STORY & OBITUARY for Kent Douglas Spoolstra

Born in the fall of 1956, to Sierd and Virginia Mae Spoolstra, Kent grew up in a country setting in Jamestown, Michigan. He was the middle child in a family with seven children. Kent was taught early on, that good character, along with strong work ethics were important.

Kent graduated from Hudsonville High School in 1974. He was a member of the swim team, and held school records in the “butterfly” stroke. During his senior year, he started his first job at Meijer in Jenison. He attended Ferris State University and received an Associates Degree in Heavy Equipment Technology.

He served in the United States Air Force from 1976 to 1980, and was stationed in Victorville, California. Kent & Carol were high school sweethearts, and were married on April 9, 1977. Their daughter Elizabeth was born in 1980, and Joe came along four years later in 1984.

In the 1980’s Kent was employed at Westinghouse Furniture Division in the Building Maintenance Department. He also worked at Quality Air Heating & Cooling where he installed commercial HVAC units. In 1990, Kent started his own business “Spoolstra Heating & Cooling”, and in 2000 was hired on as a HVAC Salesman for Shoemaker Supply. Additionally, he owned and operated income property on the Northwest side of Grand Rapids.

Kent was a member of Westview Christian Reformed Church, where he served as an Elder, and was active in the Facilities Team. He enjoyed going on mission work trips and helping out with the recent Renovate and Renew Project.

Restoring old tractors, with John Deere being his favorite, was one of his many hobbies. He was mechanically inclined and could fix just about anything family or friends sent his way. Kent remodeled the entire farm house, the new condo, the winter home, along with projects for the kids. His son Joe was able to learn a wide variety of skills from his dad, and the grandkids just loved to pull out a tool, and help him with any fix it project going on at the time.

If you wanted to see a smile on Kent’s face, you just had to watch him riding his Harley Davidson. He rode both dirt bikes and street bikes his entire life. He especially liked to watch Joe and his nephew Brian motocross. Kent also looked forward to motorcycle trips with family & friends, as well as the Golden Eagles Motorcycle Club in Tampa.

Vacationing in Florida during the winter months was one of Kent’s dreams. Thankfully, he was able to make that dream a reality and spent the last ten years living in the Sundance Mobile Home Park in Zephyrhills. He enjoyed playing cards in the clubhouse, taking his dog Lucy on golf cart rides, and just spending time outside enjoying the sunshine.

The bright spot of each weekday included meeting up with the guys at the Peppermill Restaurant for breakfast, and Saturday mornings with family and friends at Mr. Burger. When anyone gave Kent a call and wanted to meet up for coffee or lunch, he was always ready.

His life was truly blessed when the grandkids started to come. Kent always looked forward to Wednesdays and Fridays when he and Carol got to babysit the kids. Building Lego cities, setting up train tracks, or just getting on the ground and wrestling each other was a good time for papa.

Special thanks to the staff at Faith Hospice for helping the family through Kent’s end-of-life journey, along with his church family and friends.

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Kent Douglas Spoolstra, age 65, of Grand Rapids, passed away on September 10, 2022, after a difficult battle with pancreatic cancer. He was preceded in death by his parents, his father-in-law Edward (Betty) Rypma, his sister-in-law Cindy Spoolstra, and his brother-in-law Pete Clelland. Kent is survived by his loving wife of 45 years, Carol (Rypma) Spoolstra; children Elizabeth (Chris) Koster and Joe (Sarah) Spoolstra; siblings, Gwen (Jay) Klamer, Larry (Myra) Spoolstra, Lee Spoolstra, Gregg (Reta) Spoolstra, Jill (Keith) Leslie, and Jacqie Spoolstra; in-laws Leonora Rypma, Judy Rypma, Cathy Clelland, and Dan (Christine) Rypma; as well as grandchildren, Jack Spoolstra, Elise Spoolstra, Claire Koster and Chase Koster; along with many Nieces and Nephews.

Visitation will take place on Thursday September 15th from 5-8:30 PM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Alt Shawmut Hills Chapel, (2120 Lake Michigan Drive NW, GR, MI 49504) and at Westview CRC on Friday, beginning at 10 AM. The funeral service will be held on Friday September 16th at 11 AM at Westview CRC, (2929 Leonard St. GR, MI 49504).

Kent will be laid to rest in Blaine Cemetery in Gaines Township.

For those who wish, in lieu of flowers, please send a memorial donation to the Westview CRC’s Facility Team.