Rev. Syburn Martin VOORTMAN

VOORTMAN, VANHOWE, EISENGA, DOUMA, BYKERK, KAMSTRA, GREEN, JOHNSON, TUINSTRA, EBERLEIN, RIETEMA, WOLFERT, VELTKAMP, VANDYKE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:58

December 15, 1923 ---- June 19, 2018

Rev. Sy Voortman, Grandville, Michigan, on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, at the age of 94, the Rev. Sy Voortman departed from this life to enter everlasting life with Christ his Lord and Savior. Sy proudly served his country in the U.S. Army during WWII. He was preceded in death by his father, the Rev. John Voortman (who died in the pulpit speaking at Sy's ordination); his mother, Anna; his stepmother, Helen; his brother, John Voortman; and his son-in-law, John VanHowe; his sisters and brothers-in-law, Dorothy and Clarence Eisenga, CoraMae and Newton Eisenga, Evelyn and Auke Douma, Clarence Rietema, Arie and Fran Bykerk, Adriana Kamstra, Neal and Loie Bykerk, and Gerald Bykerk. Sy will be lovingly remembered by his devoted wife of 67 years, Martina; daughters, Suzanne (Mike) Green of Franklin, NC; Sarah and (Rev. Larry) Johnson of Hudsonville, MI, Sally (Steve) Tuinstra of Oak Lawn, IL, Shirlene (David) Eberlein of Jamestown, MI; 15 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren; sister, Grada Rietema of Holland, MI; sister-in-law, Liz Voortman of LaGrange, IL; brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, Bill Kamstra, Peg Bykerk, Gert Wolfert, all of Grand Rapids, Win (Rev. Al) Veltkamp of Albuquerque, NM, Mary (Clare) VanDyke of Tomball, TX; many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Marty and Sy served the Christian Reformed churches in Cincinnati, OH, Corsica, SD, Racine, WI, Walker, MI, Oak Lawn, IL, and Dorr, MI. In retirement, Sy served part-time as pastor of visitation in the Cornerstone United Reformed Church in Hudsonville and the Bethel United Reformed Church in Jenison. Services will be held at 11 am on Saturday, June 23, at the Bethel United Reformed Church, 8360 Cottonwood Dr., with Rev. Steven Postema officiating. Interment will take place at the Winchester Cemetery in Byron Center. The family will meet with relatives and friends on Friday, June 22, from 2 - 4 and 6 - 8 pm at Stroo Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Mid America Seminary in Dyer, IN, or the Zion Christian School.

Grand Rapids Press --- Grand Rapids, Michigan
June 21, 2018

*************
[Syburn Voortman lived in Norway township, Wright County, Iowa in the late 1930's and early 1940's where his father was the pastor of the Wright Christian Reformed Church near Kanawha, Iowa]