Calvin Bouma Sr.

Calvin Kenneth Bouma Sr., 94, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family in Holland, Michigan on September 14, 2025.

Cal was born on September 6, 1931, in Evergreen Park, Illinois to Abraham “Bud” Bouma and Christine Koppelman.

He attended the Morgan Park Military Academy where he excelled in track and field and football and went on to the University of Nebraska on a football scholarship.

He proudly served in the Airforce during the Korean War, stationed in Maine and Louisiana.

In 1953, he married the love of his life, Barbara Jegen. Together they raised 4 children and built 2 houses together, living primarily in Palos Heights, Illinois.

He worked with his father at Bouma Plastering and then became a General Contractor, building houses, schools, apartment buildings, and churches in the greater Roseland area. He worked the last 17 years of his career at Palos Community Hospital, supervising plant maintenance. He had a curiosity for the way things worked and the skills to fix most anything, often helping friends and family repair broken items.

He was a faithful member of the Reformed Church of America, and served as a deacon at the Reformed Church of Palos Heights. In 1998, Cal and Barb moved to Holland, Michigan to be closer to children and grandchildren.

Cal was a gifted athlete, he was an avid tennis and racquetball player and took up windsurfing in his 50s, spending many hours surfing on Wolf Lake where two generations earlier his grandfather cut ice for the family ice box. He had a passion for aviation his entire life and loved being a pilot and learning about planes. At the young age of 86, he even went sky diving with his oldest granddaughter. Cal was a proud Dutchman and loved learning about his family and his heritage, spending time researching and even visiting the Netherlands. He loved to tease, tell jokes, and laugh at himself and with others.

Calvin Bouma is preceded in death by his parents Abraham “Bud” Bouma and Christine Bouma, his brother Eugene Bouma, his nephew Brad Knitter, and his grandson Joshua Bouma.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 72 years, Barbara Bouma; his cherished children Celaine (Steve) Bouma-Prediger, Blythe (Steve) Deboer, Calvin (Sandy) Bouma Jr., Brett (Jody) Bouma; his 11 beloved grandchildren Aaron Deboer, Adam Deboer, Andrew (Lauren) Deboer, Anna (Vishal) Sapra, Chara (Alex) Bouma-Prediger, Rachel (Kyle) Lusk, Sophia (Diego) Castro Calvert, Bobbie Bouma, Flori Bouma, Calie Bouma, Reina Bouma; his 2 great grandsons, Emilio Castro and Jordan Deboer; and, his two sisters, Phyllis Yager and Lorna Wray.

The family would like to thank Rest Haven Atrio Home Health and Help at Home for their generous & kind care that enabled him to live at home and thrive until his last days. Also, to the kind paramedics and understanding HPD officers for enabling the family to allow him to die at home with dignity and respect.

There will be no visitation/services. Burial will be in Lakewood Cemetery in Park Township, MI.

Arrangements are by Dykstra Funeral Homes - Northwood Chapel.