AUGUST 2009 Obituaries

Philip E. Beal (6/30/09)

Hannah DeHaan (7/10/09)

Morgan DeHaan (7/9/09)

Earl M. DeWitt ’57 (5/28/09)

Carl F. Frost (6/20/09)

Thomas M. Harmelink ’70 (6/17/09)

Terry L. Heusinkveld ’67 (6/1/09)

Roger E. Koeppe ’44 (5/16/09)

Michael L. Land ’77 (7/5/09)

Kimberly Kossen ’85 Pike (5/15/09)

Vernon Glenn Poest ’39 (5/19/09)

Theodore “Ted” J. Rycenga ’51 (4/29/09)

Gertrude (Trudy) Dame ’39 Schrier (4/28/09)

Ronald Lee Stepanek ’58 (6/1/09)

Elaine Ter Beest (4/21/09)

E. Beth Rhebergen ’44 Thompson (6/5/09)

Arthur W. Tuls Sr. ’50 (6/2/09)

Henry Tuurling ’50 (5/25/09)

Elmer J. Van Dyke ’38 (6/4/09)

Helen Pelon ’33 Walvoord (5/23/09)

Marjorie E. Wood ’60 (5/5/09)

Harold J. Workman Sr. (6/2/09)

Philip E. Beal of Holland, Mich., died on Tuesday, June 30, 2009, at age 73, following a battle with cancer.

He had spent 27 years in university administration, including at Eastern Illinois University, the University of Oregon, Pacific Lutheran University, NCHEMS in Boulder, Colo., and Saginaw Valley State University. He was dean of students at Hope from 1986 to 1988.

After Hope, he and his wife, Kathy, who survives him, spent 11 years as full-time missionaries through the United Methodist Church in Singapore; Seoul, Korea; and Holland. During his retirement years he pursued peace with justice issues as a writer and speaker.

In addition to Kathy, survivors include two sons, Dayna ’85 (Maryls Hiemstra ’86) Beal and Dwight ’87 Beal; four grandchildren; and his sister, Priscilla Greenwood.



Morgan DeHaan, of West Olive, Mich., died on Thursday, July 9, and her daughter, Hannah DeHaan, died on Friday, July 10, both from injuries sustained in an automobile collision.

Survivors include Morgan’s parents, Stephen ’84 (Jacqueline VanHeest ’85) Kacmar. Jacqueline is accounting manager in the business services offices at Hope.

Other survivors include Morgan and Hannah’s husband and father, Tim DeHaan; daughter and sister, Jordyn DeHaan; Morgan’s brother, Collin Kacmar; and Tim’s parents, John and Sherry DeHaan.



Luis A. Destefano ’74 of Philadelphia, Pa., died on Saturday, May 2, 2009. He was 61.

He was preceded in death by his father, Felipe.

Survivors include his mother, Olga, and his siblings, Rosa, Felipe, Cesar, Eduardo and Gisella.



Earl M. DeWitt ’57 of Fairfield, Conn., died on Thursday, May 28, 2009. He was 74.

He was born in Grand Rapids, Mich., to Martin and Judith DeWitt, and had been a resident of Fairfield for 39 years.

He retired from IBM following 38 years of service.

He was an active member of Greenfield Hill Congregational Church, where he served as an usher and co-manager of the church’s Web site, and was a past member of the board of missions.

He was an active member of the Fairfield Amateur Radio Association and Community Sailing of Fairfield, as well as a life member of Fayerweather Yacht Club in Bridgeport, Conn. He found great pleasure in his time spent on the water.

Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Kay Peelen ’57 DeWitt; two children, Jane L. DeWitt of Fairfield and John M. (Karen) DeWitt of Fairfield; three grandchildren; his brother, Warren ’50 (Helen) DeWitt of Holland, Mich.; and his sister, Judith DeWitt ’63 (Thomas ’61) Aardema of Kalamazoo, Mich.



Carl F. Frost of East Lansing, Mich., died on Saturday, June 20, 2009. He was 94.

He was a veteran who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

He was an instructor at M.I.T. from 1947 to 1949, when he became an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Michigan State University, retiring in 1980 as professor emeritus.

His work with Herman Miller Inc., implementing, refining and innovating the Scanlon principles and process (now known as the Frost/Scanlon Plan), was recognized by the American Psychological Association; and The Carl Frost Center for Social Science Research at Hope was founded in honor of him.

He was preceded in death in 2003 by his wife of 60 years, Evelyn Frost.

Survivors include his children, Richard (Susan) Frost, who is vice president for student development and dean of students at Hope, Elizabeth (Joseph) DiSalvo, Robert Frost (Jane Dirksen), and Jacqueline Frost-Kunnen (Robert Kunnen); seven grandchildren, including Megan Frost ’11 and Christopher Kunnen ’11; six great-grandchildren; and his brother Thomas Frost.



Thomas M. Harmelink ’70 of Raleigh, N.C., died on Wednesday, June 17, 2009. He was 60.

He was born in Grand Rapids, Mich., on July 25, 1948, to Marjorie Dykstra Harmelink and Maurice Bernard Harmelink, and graduated from Ottawa Hills High school in 1966.

He completed graduate studies in hospital administration at Duke University in 1973.

He worked for the State of North Carolina, eventually serving as chief of emergency medical services. In 1985 he and his wife, Mary Harmelink, became owners and operators of Health Force, a home care agency.

Tom will be remembered for his strong character, work ethic and commitment to and love of his family and friends.

He was a member of North Raleigh United Methodist Church. Survivors include Mary, his wife of 39 years; their two sons, Christopher (Aimee) Harmelink of Raleigh and Mark Harmelink of Lincolnton, N.C.; one grandson; his parents, Marjorie and Maurice Harmelink of Grand Rapids, Mich.; his brothers, David ’73 (Denise Schuiling ’73) Harmelink of Grand Rapids and Dale (Judy) Harmelink of Beaufort, N.C.; and his sister, Mary Harmelink ’77 (Larry ’77) Wisner of Holland, Mich.



Terry L. Heusinkveld ’67 of Holland, Mich., formerly of Seattle, Wash., died on Monday, June 1, 2009. He was 63.

Survivors include his brothers, David ’66 (Kathryn) Heusinkveld and Paul ’72 (Michelle) Heusinkveld.



Roger E. Koeppe ’44 of Stillwater, Okla., died on Saturday, May 16, 2009. He was 87.

Roger was born May 2, 1922 in Kulangsu, Amoy, China, to American missionary parents, Edwin Walter Koeppe and Elizabeth Mary Renskers Koeppe, who were serving the Reformed Church of America. Roger grew up in China, received his grade school education from his mother, attended the eighth grade in Cedar Grove, Wis., while his parents were home on leave, and returned to China for his freshman year of high school at Shanghai American School. The school closed for one year due to the China-Japan War. Roger graduated from Williamson Central High School near Rochester, N.Y.

Undergraduate training with a major in chemistry was obtained at Hope. He graduated cum laude in 1944 and joined the Army. Following basic training in Abilene, he was happy to leave the heat of West Texas to attend a laboratory school at Fort Harrison near Indianapolis, Ind. He served two years as a medical technician.

In 1947, Roger married Norma Winifred Lemmer, also a 1944 graduate of Hope College. Norma was born and raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Roger's graduate education was at the University of Illinois where he worked with Dr. William C. Rose on amino acid metabolism. After earning his Ph.D. in 1950, he obtained postdoctoral training with Dr. Rose and with Dr. John L. Wood at the University of Tennessee (UT) Medical School in Memphis. Roger joined the faculty at UT in Memphis and progressed through academic ranks from instructor to associate professor from 1952–1959. During the summers of 1954 and 1956, he was a researcher in the Biology Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

In 1959 Roger joined the Department of Biochemistry at Oklahoma State University (OSU) as associate professor. He continued his research on intermediary metabolism and its control using radioisotopic tracers to follow the fates of specific atoms in essential compounds. In 1960, he was promoted to professor. In 1963, Roger was appointed the fourth Head of the Department of Biochemistry, a position in which he served until his retirement in 1990. His research on glutamate metabolism was supported by the National Institutes of Health from 1959–74, and by the National Science Foundation, 1953–55 and 1960–63, and the Atomic Energy Commission, 1955–60. His research interests concerned intermediary metabolism and its control, the effects of vitamins such as thiamine and of hormones such as insulin. He found that there is a small metabolically active pool of glutamine in the brain that is formed from glutamic acid which is not in rapid equilibrium with tissue glutamic acid. Dr. Koeppe spent a sabbatical year, 1966–67, supported by an NIH Senior Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Johnson Research Foundation of the University of Pennsylvania.

During his academic career, Roger directed the research of 10 Ph.D. graduates, 12 M.S. graduates, and 10 research associates. He co-authored fifty research publications and Student's Companion to Stryer's Biochemistry (W.H. Freeman, 1990). He served on the OSU Faculty Council. He was awarded the 1974 Sigma Xi Lectureship and recognized as the Professional Secretaries International Executive of the Year in 1985. He was named 1989 Oklahoma Scientist of the Year by the Oklahoma Academy of Science.

Roger is survived by his wife, Norma Lemmer ’44 Koeppe; their five children, Roger E. (Jessie) Koeppe II of Fayetteville, Ark., Mary Koeppe ’75 (Robert) Luidens of Altamont, N.Y., Sarah Koeppe ’77 (David Huddleston) of Santa Fe, N.M., Edwin (Donna) Koeppe of Stillwater, and Peter ’82 (Jane) Koeppe of San Diego, Calif.; 11 grandchildren, including Julia Koeppe ’01 and Karen Luidens ’09; his brother, Owen ’49 (JoAnn Moessner ’49) Koeppe of Columbia, Mo.; and his sister, Ruth Koeppe ’52 (James ’51) De Young of Waupun, Wis.

Roger II is Professor of Chemistry at the University of Arkansas; his wife Jessie is Director of the Library Resource Center for the Fayetteville Public Schools. Mary Luidens is Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Endocrinology Division at Albany Medical College; her husband Robert is Pastor of Altamont Reformed Church. Sarah continues to seek work as a Casting Director of film, television and theatre; her husband David Huddleston is the very familiar character actor with a face and voice known from Broadway to Hollywood. Edwin is the owner of Engraving Excellence in Stillwater; his wife Donna is Vice President for Administration at the Oklahoma State University Foundation. Peter is an electrical engineer and Senior Technical Staff Member in product development at IBM; his wife Jane Boyd is a physician (internal medicine) at San Diego Family Care, a nonprofit community clinic.



Michael L. Land ’77 of Richland, Mich., died on Sunday, July 5, 2009, of injuries sustained in a private airplane accident. His son, Andrew Land, age 27, who accompanied him, also sustained fatal injuries.

Michael was born in Zanesville, Ohio, on June 24, 1955, to June and Allan Land, both deceased. He graduated from Zanesville High School and earned a B.S. in chemistry at Hope.

After six years in senior sales and marketing with Phadia (U.S.), a medical diagnostic company based in Sweden, he was named president and general manager in 1996. Prior to that, he had a career with American Hospital Supply/Baxter, where he was top international sales person for seven years in a row. His success with Phadia was marked with exceptional performance recognition of the highest honor.

Michael’s primary interest was in being involved with his family; his other passions included golf, jazz and aviation -- all of which he participated in with the zest, commitment and intensity to which he applied himself in business. He was very proud of his airplane, acquiring it approximately two years ago. He had been a pilot for nearly a decade, was instrument rated, and his proficiency was current.

He was a member of the Otsego Jazz Ensemble, The Gull Lake Jazz Orchestra and Quintessential Bones. He was an accomplished musician, specializing in jazz trombone, and he loved performing before live audiences, many of which were for charity functions. Listening to him play, one would recognize his joy of music.

He also love antique roadsters and had begun a collection of foreign sports cars.

Survivors include his wife of 28 years, Nancy Land; his son Zachary Land, a sophomore at Oberlin (Ohio) College, who is studying neuroscience and jazz trombone; his brother, Eric (Cindy) Land; and his sister, Myra (Jack) Gibson; and 17 nieces and nephews.



Kimberly Kossen ’85 Pike of Zeeland, Mich., died on Friday, May 15, 2009, after a lengthy battle with cancer. She was 45.

She was a mathematics teacher at West Ottawa High School for 23 years. Her enthusiasm for her job was infectious, and she inspired at least two former students to become high school teachers themselves.

She enjoyed cooking, doing needlepoint and playing with cats.

Survivors include her husband, Timothy Pike ’87; her children, Tyler, Jordan, Kevin, and Kayley; a granddaughter, Ellery; her father, Stanley Kossen; and her brother, Michael Kossen ’88.



Vernon Glenn Poest ’39 of Atlantis, Fla., died on Tuesday, May 19, 2009. He was 90.

He was born Aug. 7, 1918, in Zeeland, Mich. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1940 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He also earned a business law degree from LaSalle University in Chicago, Ill.

He was a veteran who served as a captain in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II.

He was senior vice president and CFO of Herman Miller Inc. when he retired in 1980.

He served as a director of First Michigan Bank Corporation, Zeeland (now Huntington Bank); a member of the board of trustees of Pine Rest Christian Hospital Foundation, Grand Rapids, Mich.; treasurer of the Palm Beach Habilitation Center; and president of the JFK Medical Center Foundation in Palm Beach County. He also served as treasurer and president of the Atlantis Golf Club.

He was involved in the Second Reformed Church of Zeeland as a deacon, elder and Sunday school superintendent. He served the Reformed Church in America as chairperson of the denomination’s finance and administrative committee. He was a member of Lakeside Presbyterian Church of West Palm Beach, Fla., at the time of his death.

Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Roberta Gnerich Poest; a daughter, Patricia King of Myakka City, Fla.; a son, Thomas (Andrea) Poest of Holland, Mich.; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.



Theodore “Ted” J. Rycenga ’51 of Spring Lake, Mich., died on Wednesday, April 29, 2009. He was 83.

He was born Aug. 12, 1925, to Thomas and Laura (Bohlender) Rycenga Sr. in Detroit, Mich.

An outstanding all-state high school athlete at Grand Haven (Mich.) High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines in 1943 upon graduation. He served with the First Marine Regiment in the South Pacific and China during World War II.

He had a 34-year career as an educator with Spring Lake Public Schools, serving as a teacher at Holmes Elementary School, principal of Jeffers Elementary School, district curriculum director, and finally superintendent from 1972 through 1984.

He was most appreciative of the community support for the establishment of the Laker Foundation during his tenure. It is now known as the Spring Lake Schools Foundation.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years, L’bertha (Betty) Visscher ’48 Rycenga; his daughter, Laura Rycenga ’71 (Rich) Draeger; his son, Ted J. ’72 (Carole) Rycenga; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and his brother, Thomas (Jennette) Rycenga.



Gertrude (Trudy) Dame ’39 Schrier of Montgomery, Ala., died on Tuesday, April 28, 2009. She was 91.

A resident of Montgomery since 2003, the legacy of this faithful woman of the covenant began on August 13, 1917, in Muskegon, Mich. She was the oldest of four children born to Clarence Paul and Anna DeHerder Dame.

During her career, she taught elementary school, served as presidential secretary at Central College, and was an administrative assistant at Western Michigan University from 1958 to 1978.

Trudy was an active member of Second Reformed Church in Kalamazoo, Mich., where she was involved in women's work.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Nelson Schrier, whom she married on June 26, 1946; her sister, Ruth Dame ’41 Hage; and a brother-in-law, John (Jack) Hoekstra ’50.

Survivors include two children, Jack ’66 (Diane) Schrier of Ocala, Fla., and Michael ’64 (Lorna Ver Meer ’63) Schrier of Montgomery; her brother, Paul (Marie) Dame ’44 of Kalamazoo; her sister, Marian Dame ’47 Hoekstra of Kalamazoo; five grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters.



Ronald Lee Stepanek ’58 of Hudsonville, Mich., died on Monday, June 1, 2009. He was 73.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Raymond Stepanek.

Survivors include his wife, Susan Stepanek; his children, Becky (Todd) Meeuwenberg, Gregory (Chris) Stepanek, Sheila (Larry) Dyke, and Tonya (Les) Church; three grandchildren; his brother, Jim (June) Stepanek; and his sister, Barbara (Paul) Andrews.



Elaine Ter Beest of Orange City, Iowa, died on Tuesday, April 21, 2009. She was 84.

She was an elementary school teacher and a partner in her husband’s pastoral ministry with the Reformed Church in America.

Survivors include her husband, David C. Ter Beest ’50; five children, Jim (Rachel) Ter Beest, Mary (John) Steinbeck, Anne Plageman (Mark Slemp), John Ter Beest, and Ruth (Rollie) Vander Lee; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.



E. Beth Rhebergen ’44 Thompson of Horseheads, N.Y., died on Friday, June 5, 2009. She was 86.

She was born July 2, 1922, in Clymer, N.Y., the daughter of Clarence and Nettie Hogenboom Rhebergen. She graduated from Clymer High School in 1940.

She was an R.N. and taught at Corning Community College from 1965 to 1985, when she retired as assistant professor of nursing.

She was very active and served on the board of directors for Chemung County Association of Retarded Citizens and the Arnot Ogden Medical Center Auxiliary. She also volunteered at Meals on Wheels, the Arnot Ogden Medical Center, Southern Tier Hospice, and the Big Flats Historical Society.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Horseheads.

She loved her family and friends, and treasured visits with her grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Ralph A. Thompson, and by her sister, Winifred Lewellen.

Survivors include her children, Dan L. Thompson of Horseheads, Jack A. Thompson of Boulder, Colo., and Bonnie Lu Thompson of Elmira, N.Y.; four grandchildren; and three great-grandsons.



Arthur W. Tuls Sr. ’50 of Grand Haven, Mich., died on Tuesday, June 2, 2009. He was 85.

He was a veteran who served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

He taught at Holland Christian High School for 37 years and coached the school’s varsity basketball team for 25 years. In 1969 he was named the MHSAA basketball coach of the year.

He was a charter member of Holland Heights Christian Reformed Church and a current member of Maranatha Christian Reformed Church.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Joanne Tuls, in 1991.

Survivors include his children, Arthur Jr. (Joan) Tuls of Grand Haven, Philip (Jane) Tuls of Fremont, Mich., David (Joy) Tuls of Bradenton, Fla., and James (Jody) Tuls of Mattawan, Mich.; 11 grandchildren, including Matthew ’06 Rycenga (Anne Baker ’05); and five great-grandchildren.



Henry Tuurling ’50 of Holland, Mich., died on Monday, May 25, 2009. He was 87.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Angelyn Tuurling ’46.

Survivors include his wife, Doris Tuurling.



Elmer J. Van Dyke ’38 of Paw Paw, Mich., died on Thursday, June 4, 2009. He was 92.

He was born December 5, 1916, in Zeeland, Mich., the son of John and Gertrude (Zonnebelt) Van Dyke.

After graduating from Hope, he obtained a teaching certificate in business from Ferris College and received an M.A. from the University of Michigan.

He taught in Mount Morris, Mich., for one year, and then served the Covert (Mich.) Public Schools until 1951 as teacher, principal and lastly superintendent. He subsequently served as superintendent of the Van Buren Intermediate School District for 24 years. He was responsible for the creation and construction of the Intermediate District Campus in Lawrence, Mich., and retired in 1975.

He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Paw Paw for 57 years. He was also a member of the Michigan Education Association, Michigan Association of School Administrators, LakeView Hospital Board, Paw Paw Library Board, Kiwanis Club of Paw Paw, and the Saturday morning breakfast group.

He was an avid fan of the Detroit Tigers and a U. of M. supporter. He enjoyed playing golf, talking on the phone, and keeping up with the activities and interests of his children and their children.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Laura Van Kley ’38 Van Dyke, in 1991; a daughter, Mary Bauman, in 1993; a great-grandson; and a brother, Gerald Van Dyke ’41, who was killed in action during World War II in 1945.

Survivors include a daughter, Joan (Warren) Grosvenor; a son, John (Jeannie) Van Dyke; eight grandchildren, including Laurie Grosvenor ’88 (Brian) Southworth and John (Pam) Grosvenor ’90; 12 great-grandchildren; his son-on-law, William D. Bauman; and his sister, Esther Van Dyke ’44 Wickert of Kalamazoo, Mich.



Helen Pelon ’33 Walvoord of Holland, Mich., died on Saturday, May 23, 2009. She was 97.

Known as "Mimi" to her family, she was born January 21, 1912, in Muskegon, Mich., the daughter of Anna (Balkema) and Joseph Pelon.

In 1935 she married Carl A. Walvord '32. They moved to South Holland, Ill., upon his graduation from medical school and lived there for 55 years. He preceded her in death in 1996.

She was a member of First Reformed Church of South Holland for many years. She returned to Michigan to live at Freedom Village in Holland, where she was a member of Third Reformed Church.

She inspired the love and devotion of her family and many friends, and enjoyed particularly wonderful relationships with her grandchildren.

She and her husband enjoyed their collections of daguerreotypes and cases, antique Valentines, and personal journals. She was also a reader of great depth and breadth.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her sisters, Eva Brookstra and Grace Pelon; her brother, John Pelon; and a daughter-in-law, Barbara Bickel Walvoord.

Survivors include her sons, Thomas (Ellen) Walvoord of Harvard, Ill., David (Mary) Walvoord of Peoria, Ill.; five grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and her sister, Betty (Richard) Stevenson of Medford, Ore.



Word has been received of the death of Marjorie E. Wood ’60 of Pensacola, Fla., who died on Tuesday, May 5, 2009. She was 70.



Harold J. Workman Sr. of Muskegon, Mich., died on Tuesday, June 2, 2009. He was 94.

He was an industrial relations manager at Dresser Industries for 27 years until he retired in 1979.

He served on the Board of Trustees at Hope from 1961 through 1965.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Workman, on Jan. 28, 2009, and his son-in-law, Robert Driscoll, in 2008.

Survivors include his son, H. John ’70 (Kathleen) Workman; his daughter, Marietta Workman ’63 Driscoll; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.