Luke Kooistra

Luke William Kooistra was born on March 11, 2009 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was welcomed to the world by his big brothers, Ben and Sam, and he hit the ground running, always trying to keep up with them. He learned to be tenacious at a young age, and his tenacity served him well on the lacrosse field, where he excelled beginning at the age of three.

Luke was always moving. In addition to playing lacrosse, he was also an avid downhill skier and loved being out on a golf course with his brothers and dad. He was incredibly pleased one summer when he managed to maintain memberships at Cascade Hills Country Club, Arrowhead, and Benona Shores. He grew up spending summers on Lake Michigan, where his blond hair bleached white after days on the beach with his family and close friends. In the rare moments when he was still, he enjoyed snuggling one of the family’s golden retrievers or watching a favorite show over and over. His brothers nicknamed him TikTok, after his affection for the social media videos he loved to scroll while in the hot tub, and sometimes called him Hot Shot and Golden Child. On school mornings, when he wasn’t eating breakfast on the porch, he was memorizing all the lyrics to his favorite songs.

Luke enjoyed tooling around in his Toyota Tacoma truck, heading out for sushi at Jaku, and making ramen at home. Known as Reverend Luke by his family, he always led the prayer before any meal. Faith was important to him; he enjoyed attending church with his family at Ada Bible and his friends at Keystone, reading his Bible, and helping others to feel blessed.

Luke attended Forest Hills Public Schools since second grade, where his silly humor and antics as an elementary school student made him a wide range of friends, and where he was about to begin his senior year of high school. As a teenager, Luke’s personality was bigger than life. He was a natural magnet for any social circle and was always ready to have fun. With his warm spirit, sense of humor, and natural peacemaking tendencies, Luke was a supportive friend – except when it came to poker. He loved having a houseful of friends around his poker table and ruthlessly taking their money.

In the hallways, on athletic fields, and in the community, Luke radiated kindness. Never one to hurry, Luke was intentional, if overly optimistic, with his own time. He had to be in order to manage his extensive network of friends and activities, filling his days with joy, meaning and connection. He was the kind of student who made the people around him feel seen, included, and important. A good listener, he was the person his friends and brothers turned to for advice, often helping people quietly in ways that only came to light later, if at all. His warmth and spirit touched everyone lucky enough to know him, and he will be deeply missed by everyone who had the privilege of living alongside him.

While those close to Luke will miss him immeasurably, his family hopes those who knew him will carry his spirit forward by Living Like Luke, an encouragement to let his kindness inspire others to live a little more brightly. The family finds solace in Philippians 2:3-4, which reads, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Luke, age 17, passed away unexpectedly from accidental injuries from a side by side (UTV) vehicle on Sunday, August 23, 2026. He was preceded in death by his grandfather, Rudy Bahnsen. Luke is survived by his parents, Josh and Connie Kooistra of Ada; brothers, Ben and Sam; grandparents, Scott and Sue Kooistra and Beth Bahnsen; aunts and uncles, Jason and Heidi Kooistra, Jared and Betsy Kooistra, Jessica and Joel Petersen, and Amanda and Ross Weenum, and many beloved cousins.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Jason Kinzler Family First Foundation.