Jack Essenburg

John (Jack) Essenburg, age 99, of Holland, passed away on Thursday November 3, 2011 Heritage Nursing Home in Zeeland.

Jack was born on May 26, 1912 in Holland Township to Henry and Cornelia (Van Langevelde).

He started working at the Holland Sentinel at age fifteen and worked there for fifty years retiring at age sixty five. He was a Charter Member of the Holland Windmill Chorus and was a lifetime member. He was also a member of several quartets in the Holland Area including the Tulip City Four and The Four Stars. He was a longtime member of Bethel Reformed Church and most recently a member of Trinity Reformed Church. He was an avid hunter and fisherman.

He was preceded in death by his son-in-law, Thomas Hamlin and daughter–in-law, Jytte Essenburg; his younger brother Glenn Essenburg and his sisters Florence Douma and Crystal Berens.

He is survived by his wife of 78 years, Ella (Topp) Essenburg of Holland; his children, Roger Essenburg of Fountain Hills, AZ, Shirley and David Rhoda of Holland, Bob and Geri Essenburg of Gwinn, MI, Betty and Bill Hamlin of Holland, and Lynn and Patrick Henagin of Holland; seventeen grandchildren; thirty great grandchildren; and twelve great great grandchildren; his sister Myrtle Vanden Berg of Allegan; his sister-in-law, Patricia Essenburg Haas; his brother-in-law, Bob Berens of South Carolina; and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral and committal services will be held at 11:00am on Tuesday November 8, 2011 at Trinity Reformed Church, 712 Apple Avenue.

Visitation will be held from 6-8pm on Monday November 7, 2011 at the Mulder Chapel, Dykstra Funeral Homes, 188 West 32nd Street. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday.

Burial will take place in Pilgrim Home Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given in Jack’s name to the Holland Windmill Chorus.

Arrangements by the Mulder Chapel, Dykstra Funeral Homes. Please visit www.dykstrafuneralhome.com to sign an online guestbook or to leave a memory of Jack.