Dr. Robert Weeldreyer

Robert Lee Weeldreyer (Bob), 5 days shy of 90 years old, is now with his Lord and Savior. His life was well lived, marked by faithfulness, love, integrity, compassion, humor, and kindness.

Bob’s life was a beautiful example a life well-lived for Jesus and others. He was full of love for his family as well as for his friends, the community, and the world. He was a man of great depth, always seeing the big picture and yearning to glorify God through his service to others.

Bob was born on December 26, 1934, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on what he claimed was “the coldest day ever.” He worked with his family on their family farm, to which he credits much of his work ethic, commitment to excellence, and love for family. It is also where he developed his playful and sometimes mischievous side, often getting into some innocent trouble with his brother out in the field. Bob graduated the valedictorian of his high school class and headed off for new adventures at Wheaton College, in Wheaton, IL. There, he studied pre-med and was a member of ROTC. It was also at Wheaton where he met his beloved wife, Carolyn.

He and Carolyn married after graduating from Wheaton College in 1956. They stayed in the Chicago area where Carolyn taught kindergarten while Bob attended medical school at the University of Illinois. From there, they moved to Denver for his residency while Bob also served in the Army, and then on to Frankfurt, Germany, where he was stationed as an Army doctor. After his service was completed for the Army, Bob and his family moved to Holland, Michigan, where he opened his own practice and committed himself to serving his patients and the community. Bob dedicated his life as an OBGYN, serving women and their unborn babies. He was a much beloved physician, known for his kind and warm bedside manner as well as his humor and light-heartedness. He was also known for his wisdom and integrity, and his leadership of those around him. He spent years as the Holland Hospital Chief of Staff as well as the hospital’s Chairman of the Board.

Throughout his life and retirement, Bob loved to travel, and he was blessed to have seen much of the United States as well as countries throughout the world. An avid learner, he soaked up the history of every place he traveled in the effort to fully appreciate all they had to offer. He also enjoyed his time on his beloved sailboat, Cantare, enjoying the peaceful freedom that it offered to him. One of his favorite places in the world was very close to home - their cottage in Grand Haven. It was there, where he enjoyed his time watching the sunsets, listening to the waves of Lake Michigan, reading countless books, playing games with his wife and family, and soaking up the beauty of God’s nature.

Along with enjoying the opportunity for relaxation and travel in his retirement, Bob remained committed and involved in the ministries and causes to which God called him. He dedicated much of his life to serving the unborn and their mothers, to the ministry of Young Life, and to involvement in his church. He was committed to serving the Lord with every day of his life, wanting others to know the hope and joy that a relationship with Christ brings and wanting to do all he was called to do.

With all of his accomplishments, if you asked Bob what was most important to him in this life beyond serving Christ, he would say it was his family. He deeply loved his wife, Carolyn, serving her and providing for their life together. He was a beautiful example of a father who did all he could to raise his children with a faith in God and raising them to be people of service, integrity, love, and kindness. He was also very happy to have also become a father figure to two exchange students and a grandfather figure to their children. More than anything, Bob adored being a grandpa to his 12 grandchildren and 7 great grand-children. He took the role very seriously, wanting to leave them a legacy as well as being a grandpa who showed deep love and a sense of humor and fun. His greatest sense of joy and pride was his family, and they are all grateful to have had him in their lives.

Bob is survived by his wife of 68 years, Carolyn Weeldreyer; his son Brian, and his wife, Julie Weeldreyer; his daughters, Marcia Lindberg and Sheryl Weeldreyer; his exchange student son, Stein, and his wife Jane, Slette; and his exchange student daughter, and her husband, Nicy and Fedor Lemgau . His grandchildren are Ryan Cotter, Stephanie Cotter, Nathan Weeldreyer, Matthew Weeldreyer, Parker Lindberg, Andrew Lindberg, Margaret Weeldreyer, Marjorie Weeldreyer, Andreas Slette, Ingrid Slette, Nik Lemgau, and Finn Lemgau. His great-grandchildren are Emilia Reyes, Tessa Cotter, Connor Parsons, Grant Parsons, Maddy Lindberg, Wesley Lindberg, and Daphne Lindberg.

A visitation will take place on Thursday, December 26 from 4-6pm at Dykstra Funeral Home – Mulder Chapel, 188 W 32nd Street, Holland. A funeral service will take place on Friday, December 27 at 11:00am at Christ Memorial Church – Sanctuary, 595 Graafschap Rd. Holland with a reception to follow.

For those who are unable to attend the service in person, a livestream will be available HERE