William Elferink 60 of North Hollywood, Calif., died on Friday, Nov. 2, 2007. He was 72.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Army who served in Germany for two years.
He worked in California with the U.S. government.
He was preceded in death by four sisters, Cora Johnson, Mina McBride, Marie DeKam and Vera Wykstra, and one brother, Henry Elferink.
Survivors include one sister, Jennie (Nelson 50) Stegeman, and two brothers, Dirk (Judy) Elferink and Elbert (Shirley) Elferink.
John D. Ferriby 85 of Royal Oak, Mich., died on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007, at Alexander Mercy Living Center. He was 44.
He was born in Saginaw, Mich., and graduated from Frankenmuth (Mich.) High School.
He was a digital mercenary who provided IT and technical assistance to local businesses. He had previously been employed by EDS and Perot Systems.
He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak, where he coordinated the South Oakland Shelter (SOS) outreach ministry for 10 years. He also served on the board of deacons and the church computer community.
He was preceded in death by his father, Donald Ferriby.
Survivors include his wife of 21 years, Barbara Terpstra 85 Ferriby; their children, Sarah, Douglas and Hannah Ferriby; his sister and brother, Martha Ferriby (Roger Rapoport) of Muskegon, Mich., and Peter Gavin Ferriby 76 (Rochelle Stackhouse) of Hamden, Conn.; his mother, Sally Ferriby of Frankenmuth; and a niece and three nephews.
Word has been received of the death of Charles R. Friede 40 of Atlanta, Ga., who died on Wednesday, Oct. 10. 2007. He was 89.
Wilbur C. Bill Jacobs 39 of Toledo, Ohio, died of an accidental drowning on Friday, Sept. 28, 2007. He was 89.
He was born in Rochester, N.Y. After graduating from Hope, he graduated from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was on the Law Review.
He was a veteran who served as an aircraft pilot in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
He practiced law for more than 60 years, beginning as an attorney in 1946 at what is now Marshall & Melhorn LLC in Toledo. He later joined Mittendorf, Reiser & Zraik and became a partner in the firm in 1973. He had a member of the Ohio Bar Association for more than 60 years
He enjoyed attending Toledo Symphony concerts and playing bridge at the Toledo Club, where he was a longtime member.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Jacobs, in 2006, and by a sister, Carol Jacobs 54 Bosch.
Survivors include his daughters, Joey (George) Cattermole of San Georgio, Calif., Janet (David) Monroe of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Jenny (Allan) Spinrad of Portland, Ore., and Molly (Jack) Beaudoin of Seattle, Wash.; his son, Steve (Jean) Jacobs of Lutherville, Md.; 11 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and his sister, Mary Ruth Jacobs 41 Hakken.
Kenneth N. Leestma 52 of Seal Beach, Calif., died on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007. He was 81.
He was born in Holland, Mich., the first child of Peter and Martha Leestma, and grew up in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Following high school, he served in the Army Air Corps as staff sergeant in Japan.
After the war, he graduated from Hope and from Western Theological Seminary.
He was then ordained and called to be the founding pastor of Lincoln Avenue Community Church in Pomona, Calif. This marked the beginning of his fifty-three-year career as a pastor to congregations across the nation and the world.
Following his ministry in Pomona, after overseeing the building of a new sanctuary there, he was called to Bethel Reformed Church, Sheldon, Iowa. His family now numbered seven.
In 1966 with wife Bette, David, Pamela, Daniel, Mary and Mark, he moved to Bradenton, Fla., serving Bayshore Gardens Reformed Church. A new educational building was completed there just before he accepted a call from El Dorado Park Community Church, Long Beach, Calif., to serve as a co-pastor with his colleague and childhood friend William Miedema 50. Being back in California seemed to complete his coast-to-coast ministry.
In 1975, he was called to New Life Community Church in Artesia as senior pastor. This was the church, formerly called Artesia Reformed, who first invited the Arcadian Quartet, representing Hope College, to sing. That invitation gave the quartet singers, Kenneth Leestma, William Miedema 50, Warren Hietbrink 47 and Robert H. Schuller 47 their first taste of California. All four began ministries in California, Kenneth being the first.
Kenneth first retired in 1991, but was asked by the Reformed Church in America to serve churches in need of his pastoral expertise in northern California and as far as Bahrain before he accepted the call to become the pastor of congregational care at the Crystal Cathedral. This in many ways was the position of his lifetime. Working with a ministry that he knew so well from its very beginning, being near his family, and sharing the joys of ministry longevity with his longtime friend Robert H. Schuller and so many other colleagues, became the providential finale of his ministry and life.
Most notable among his many accomplishments, Dr. Ken, as he was affectionately called, earned his doctoral degree in pastoral ministry and was a president of The Reformed Church in America (RCA). He represented the RCA in Japan and India and provided leadership in the RCA Classis and Synod throughout his entire ministry. He also served on the Words of Hope radio ministry board for eight years.
At the memorial service, David Leestma said of his father, Dr. Ken made more hospital calls than a medical doctor and he made friends with everyone he met. A man of extraordinary humbleness, integrity, kindness and love for people, he modeled every biblical gift of the Spirit more often than anyone I ever knew. A gentle giant of a man who will never leave our memory.
He served Hope as a member of the board of trustees and was presented with a Distinguished Alumni Award in 1986.
Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth (Bette) Leestma; five children, David 73 (Cathy Schaub 73) Leestma, Pam Leestma 75, Dan Leestma, Mary Leestma (Jack) Tackett, and Mark (Selina) Leestma; and seven grandchildren, including John (Katie Wierenga 01) Leestma.
Richard N. McClintock 55 of Horton, Mich., died on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007. He was 74.
He was a veteran of the U.S. Army who served during the Korean War.
He worked as the general manager of Allen McClure Oil Well Servicing in Mosherville, Mich., for more than 25 years. He was the Liberty Township treasurer at the time of his death.
He was preceded in death by one son, Richard McClintock, and one brother, Harry McClintock.
Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Lynda L. McClintock; four children, Brian (Donna) McClintock, Robin Katz, Jamie McClintock, and Chris McClintock; seven granddaughters; six great-grandchildren; two sisters, Barbara Theimer and Mary Margaret (Wayne) Scantland; and one sister-in-law, Roberta McClintock.
