William Bylsma

Whether he was playing basketball during his high school years, designing various pieces of office furniture, or leading nursing home residents in devotions, William G. Bylsma did them all with a compassionate and tender spirit. He based his every action and his every word upon the Christian faith he held so dear. Bill viewed each day as a gift to be treasured and he cherished the two relationships that he held most dear, his relationship with his Lord and his relationship with his family. Bill often set aside his own needs to tend to the needs of others, his life a shining example of faith and love.

The early 1900’s were a monumental time in the Netherlands as a German field marshal and strategist changed the course of the previous plan in which the Netherlands was to be invaded as a precursor to WWI. He chose not to invade the Netherlands in order to conserve Dutch neutrality since the Netherlands supplied many goods to Germany and the Netherlands would be a vast resource of raw products such as rubber and tin. Gerrit and Grace Bylsma, of Oldeboorn, Netherlands were thankful for their own joyous occasion as well; as Grace was due to give birth to their first child at any time. They were blessed on December 17, 1909 with the healthy birth of their son, William. When Bill, as he liked to be called, was just two years old, his parents immigrated to the United States where they settled on the southwest side of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bill was later joined by three younger brothers and one younger sister who rounded out the Bylsma clan.

As a student, Bill attended Davis Tech, a technical school where he prepared for a career in tool and die work. As a basketball player for Davis Tech, Bill liked to tell the story of the time his team played against the team of Gerald Ford who would one day become the 38th President on the United States. He and Ford both went after a jump ball and Bill ended up with an injured ankle after Ford came down on it. When he was just 16 years old, Bill began his career with Metal Office Furniture Company, later renamed Steelcase, as a tool and die apprentice in 1926.

Life took an exciting turn for Bill when he met a lovely young lady from Chicago, Illinois while he was attending a Christian Endeavor Conference in Muskegon, Michigan. Her name was Marie Pelon and it was love at first sight; a love story which would span more than 60 years had begun. Bill kept his car running well enough to drive to Chicago to visit Marie on weekends. On one particular trip, he was pulled over by the police as he was mistaken for being John Dillinger, a well known gangster and member of the mafia! Bill and Marie were married on January 16, 1935 and together they settled in Grand Rapids, where they lived with Bill’s parents. The couple was soon blessed with the birth of their son Gary, in 1938.

After living with Bill’s parents for several years, they rented a house on Blandford Ave where they lived before they purchased a lot on Belfast St. They hired a contractor to build them a home which they moved into in 1941. Not long after he had settled into his new home, Bill received his draft notice; however, his employer wrote a letter to the draft board requesting that Bill be able to continue his work stateside as it was an integral part of the war effort. Bill was responsible for designing and building desks, chairs, and other office equipment for the war effort and was proud to have designed the dies for the folding table used for the signing of the Peace Document aboard a ship which ended the war with Japan.

Bill had several interests that he found time to pursue. He enjoyed fishing and hunting, especially with his friends up north every November. Bill also often took fishing vacations with his family during the summer at both MacDonald Lake and later, to Drummond Island, Michigan. Faith was an important cornerstone in Bill’s life and he was an active member of Fifth Reformed Church where he served many terms as an elder, a deacon, and taught catechism as well.

Family was always an important component in Bill’s life and he was thrilled when his family grew to include a daughter in law and later, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Bill used his abilities with his hands to build an addition to Gary’s home and a doll house for his granddaughter Betsy that was built to scale.

Bill continued his important work at Steelcase where he was rewarded with several promotions over the years and he retired in 1975 after 49 years of service, as one of their longest tenured employees. Retirement provided Bill and Marie with more opportunities to travel to the Upper Peninsula where they were able to maintain friendships with various people that had met through the years while on fishing excursions.

Life took a drastic turn for Bill and Marie when she suffered a stroke which left her confined to a wheelchair. She lived at the Holland Home where Bill faithfully came to visit her for eight hours each day. Bill was asked to lead the residents there in devotions for lunch and supper each day, a request he gladly accepted. After his beloved Marie died in 1998, Bill soon decided to move to Freedom Village in Holland in order to be closer to his family.

Bill Bylsma lived a vibrant life of service to his Lord, his family, and many others as well. He was a man of great integrity and compassion whose life was a constant reflection of the beliefs that were embedded on his heart. Bill spent a lifetime making treasured memories with those he loved and he leaves behind a legacy of faith and love that will be forever cherished by those he leaves behind.

William G. Bylsma, of Holland, formerly of Grand Rapids, died on Saturday February 7, 2009 in the Inn of Freedom Village of Holland.

His family includes his son, Gary (Judy) Bylsma of Holland; his grandchildren, Dan (Janice) Bylsma and their children, Caleb, Jordan, and Isaac; Tom (Susan) Bylsma and their children, Jacob, Jonah, and Logan; and Betsy (Russell) Kopp and their children, Mitchell and Aleah, all of Hudsonville; his brother, Ralph Bylsma of Montague; sister-in-law, Nettie Kamp of Spring Lake, and his nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marie Pelon Bylsma in 1998 and his two great grandchildren, Taylor Marie Bylsma and Jaide Taylor Bylsma.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday February 11, 2009 at First Reformed Church, 630 State Street, Holland with Rev. Dick Doeden officiating.

Visit with Bill’s family and friends on Tuesday February 10, 2009 from 7-9 p.m. at Dykstra Life Story Funeral Homes - Mulder Chapel - Holland, MI, 188 West 32nd Street, Holland, MI 49423.

Please visit Bill’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial contribution to Freedom Village Scholarship Fund or the William G. Bylsma Scholarship Fund of Hope College.