Robert Baas

Grady Baas was a wonderful person to know and love. He was a man of many special interests, yet it was evident in every way that his family and friends meant the most to him. His generous and compassionate ways will forever be remembered by all who knew and loved him.

The 1940s were characterized by WWII. By 1947, some of the most significant inventions that would impact lives for many years were created including the Transistor and the Mobile Phone. That same year, Robert Grady was born to a set of hard-working parents, Willard and Donna Baas on December 22nd in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His birth brought his parents great joy, yet their marriage ended when he was still a young baby.

The family eventually moved from their small apartment on the northwest side of the city to 2304 Riverside for some time. Grady lived a typical childhood of the times. By the time he was six years old, his baby sister, Lauri, had joined the family. He attended Riverside School until they moved again to College Street a few years later. He attended Eastern School for a while. His mother later remarried William Nordhoek during these early years. By the time, Grady was fifteen, the family moved to Fay Avenue. He then attended CA Frost School and then went to Oakley School. These early years taught him the value of being resilient to change and interested in learning about new people and environments.

Raised a Catholic, Grady attended West Catholic Schools for 10th grade. He had a strong desire to become a priest so he later attended high school in Chicago. Grady changed his mind and ended up graduating from West Catholic in GR. By the time he graduated, he wasn’t sure where life would take him. He chose Aquinas College to pursue a degree in education. Grady enlisted in the Navy and spent a few years serving. He was based in Chicago, Washington DC, and Cyprus during his time in the service. After being discharged, he traveled to Italy, the Netherlands, England, and Scotland. Grady always found joy in visiting places he had never been and meeting new people.

Always one to seek adventure and gain new wisdom, Grady attended adult education classes to learn Italian. He then traveled to Italy to live with a host family where he gained an abundant knowledge of the language through rich conversation and immersing himself in the culture. Back in the US, Grady started his lifelong career with the United States Post Office as a letter carrier. This work provided him with ample opportunity to meet and visit with people along his route. Over the years, he purchased three different houses. In each home he lived in he enjoyed vegetable gardening and tending to the flower beds. After his stepfather William passed away, he took care of his mother and managed her gardens as well. Gardening was a passion for him. He found great joy in keeping up the care of both properties for many years.

Grady enjoyed a simple life. He was a very caring person and had a large number of friends in his neighborhood. He loved to surround himself with his pet dogs and cats over the years. His dogs were always up for taking walks around his neighborhood every evening. Grady was also very active in his home church at St. James. A highlight of these years was volunteering at the Fish Fries during the Lenten season. Exceptionally warm and loving, Grady will surely be missed. His greatest legacy that he leaves behind is the family and friends he loved so deeply. May they always cherish the special memories they shared with him and may they never doubt how much they meant to him.

Robert (Grady) Baas, of Grand Rapids Michigan, passed away on December 12, 2024, with his family by his side after a brief illness. Grady was preceded in death by his father, Willard Baas; his stepfather, William Nordhoek, and his brother-in-law, Phil Cooper. Grady is survived by his mother, Donna Nordhoek; sister, Lauri Coopper; nephew, Michael (Emily) Cooper; niece, Alison (Joe Sikora) Cooper, and his uncles, E. Gerry (Betty) Hendricks, and Tom (Sally) Hendricks; as well as his very good friend, Leslie Sanford.

Grady worked for many years as a delivery man for the United States Postal Service and was a shining light in his neighborhood and his family. Mass of Christian burial will be held on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 2510 Richmond St. NW Grand Rapids, MI 49504. Grady’s family will meet with friends one hour before mass. Because of his love of animals, memorial contributions can be made to the Kent County Humane Society. To leave a memory or sign the guest book, please visit www.heritagelifestory.com