Visitation
Friday, January 4, 2013
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST
Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes
Van Strien Creston Chapel
1833 Plainfield Ave., N.E
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
(616) 361-2613
Driving Directions
Visitation
Friday, January 4, 2013
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST
Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes
Van Strien Creston Chapel
1833 Plainfield Ave., N.E
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
(616) 361-2613
Driving Directions
Service
Saturday, January 5, 2013
1:00 PM EST
Frontline Community Church
4411 Plainfield NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525
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.
Terry Haaksma Memorial Fund
To be used for the continuing care of his family. Envelopes available at the Funeral Home or contributions can be mailed to the funeral home or sent
Life Story / Obituary
The life of Terry Lee Haaksma exemplifies what it means to be the hands and feet of the Lord he loved. From the moment his faith came alive in his heart he lived to serve and love others as an outpouring of his unwavering relationship with the Lord. Terry was a devoted family man - his wife and daughters were the light of his life, his love for them never-ending. Life was not without times of trial for him, but he considered each day to be a gift to be treasured as part of God’s perfect plan for his life. Taken from his loved ones much too soon, Terry will be deeply missed and warmly remembered.
The 1960s saw unprecedented changed in civil rights and the women’s movement while as a nation we mourned the loss of President John F. Kennedy. It was in 1965 that an active family from Grand Rapids, Michigan, welcomed a healthy baby boy into the fold on December 27th. Terry Lee was the youngest of four children born to his parents, Lloyd and Wilma (Huizinga) Haaksma, who were both Dutch immigrants. Joined in his family by his two older sisters and older brother who was three years his senior, Terry spent his earliest years in Wyoming before their family finally settled in Hudsonville.
In many ways Terry experienced a typical childhood. He was well loved with two older sisters to dote over him, and he enjoyed playing with Tonka trucks and being active outside. Terry’s parents instilled within him the Christian faith and regularly took their family to church. Their dogs were important members of the family, and throughout his life Terry almost always enjoyed the companionship of a dog. It was as a young boy that he discovered his love for playing the drums whether he was playing on pots and pans or tapping on the couch. Terry enjoyed camping with his family and earned a little spending money with his own paper route. His gifts as a percussionist grew as he played percussion in the high school band. Terry and a group of his friends also started a band of their own.
Terry and his family were given a tough pill to swallow with the tragic death of his father when Terry was just 16. The next several years were difficult for Terry as he struggled to find his way, so shaken from the tragic loss.
After graduating from Hudsonville High School, Terry began working at Howard Miller making clocks for a few years. He always appreciated working with his hands and was meticulous is seeing a project through to completion. After a few years Terry went to Grand Valley where he earned a bachelor’s degree in performance.
Life was forever changed for Terry when he began reading the Bible after being encouraged by a friend. By the time he had finished reading, he had submitted himself to the Lord. From that point forward Terry leaned on the Lord for guidance and wisdom as he fully trusted that the Lord will provide in all things. Terry was a talented drummer who became active in a ministry band called the WatchBand with whom he had the chance to perform in Eastern Europe.
Once he was back in Michigan Terry was at a local church playing and sharing his testimony when he was introduced to Robin Dunham, the church’s ministry leader. Although Terry missed their first date, they did begin dating and were married three years later on June 15, 1996, at Bethel Reformed Church. They settled into a home in Comstock Park and later welcomed three girls into their hearts and home: Katrina, Heidi, and Megan. It was easy to see that Terry adored his wife and daughters, and he was very creative in showing them his affection as he wrote poems and stories, brought home flowers, and took his girls on “Dad’s wild adventures” that would include numerous fun things like a trip to the park, out for a drive, or a day at the beach. No matter what it was, Terry was always spontaneous and fun. His girls looked forward to camping trips when he gave them breakfast of crumbled cookies and milk. As a family the Haaksmas enjoyed spending a week or two every summer for several years at a camp in Ohio as he and Robin worked on the praise team there. Terry also saw to it that his mother was an important part of his girls’ lives. Establishing traditions was important to him such as the train around the Christmas tree or trips to the Tulip Time Parade. A romantic at heart, Terry brought his wife breakfast in bed just so they could talk at times.
Once he became a father Terry began a career separate from his music ministry, but his church, Frontline Community Church, remained a vital part of his life. At first he was part of their worship band, but his participation in the church grew as the church itself grew. As they were moving to a new location it was Terry who spent countless hours organizing the volunteers. It was amazing to see how his involvement there inspired others to volunteer as well.
In February of 2010 Terry was diagnosed with a brain tumor. This required three surgeries since then, and although there were always setbacks that followed, Terry’s faith remained strong. He had always been close to his extended family, but he made a point of organizing more gatherings throughout the past few years. His laid back personality remained intact as did his sense of humor that could even be a bit odd at times.
The list of things we loved about Terry Haaksma is extensive whether his endless patience, his strong work ethic, or the way he always had something positive to say about everyone he met, but it will be his vibrant faith coupled with his love for his family that will be his lasting legacy. His memory will remain a lasting gift in the lives of many.
Terry Lee Haaksma, age 47 of Comstock Park entered his heavenly home on December 31, 2012 and is now absent from the body and present with the Lord. He was preceded in death by his father, Lloyd Haaksma. Terry is survived by his wife, Robin; their daughters Katrina, Heidi and Megan; his mother, Wilma Haaksma-Silvis; siblings Nancy and Roger Haynes, Shirley and Dave Lawson, Al Haaksma; father-in-law Mike (Margaret Dunham) and mother-in-law Janey Dunham; sister-in-law Kelly (Adam) DeYoung; as well as many aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews and cousins. A service to celebrate Terry's life will be held on Saturday, January 5 at 1 PM at Frontline Community Church, 4411 Plainfield NE. Friends are invited to visit with his family on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 PM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Van Strien Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield NE. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to the Terry Haaksma Memorial Fund c/o Fifth Third Bank to be used for the continued support of his family. To read more about his life, to share a favorite memory or to sign the guestbook, please visit www.lifestorynet.com