Seng Kaing, 81
Seng Hang Kaing, 81, of Zeeland, died on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Send was born in Battambang, Cambodia on March 19, 1944 to father Hee Lim and mother Tan Huoy. He grew up with his sister Kiev and Peter. He has now joined his brother Robert in watching over the family.
Seng was a French professor in Cambodia, then became the principal. When the war broke out, he enlisted in the army and became a captain. Trying to escape the genocide, he stopped to help people along the way. I believe his niece, Top, still owes him a doll she promised him for carrying her. In the refugee camps in Thailand, his education allowed him to help hundreds of families fill out their documents.
After landing in America and knowing the importance of education, he enrolled in Truman College, where he got his degree and was able to secure a good job at English Bay Company, where he worked as an ingredient supply coordinator, the only non-related employee entrusted with the secret ingredient. He worked there until he retired at 70 years old.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Kheang Khean; and his daughters, Cheata Lor, Mik Kaing, and Mary Kaing. He is now reunited with his two sons, Chet and Khann. He has five grandchildren; Maleena, Chet, Bryton, Eva, and Hazel.
A funeral service is planned for 10 a.m. Saturday, April 26 at Dykstra Funeral Homes – Northwood Chapel, 295 Douglas Ave., Holland. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 25 at the Northwood Chapel.
Elizabeth Du Mez, 85
Elizabeth Anne (Wichers) Du Mez, MSW, ACSW, a loving mother and generous friend to so many, passed away on Nov. 9, 2024, in Holland.
Beth was born in Holland on June 30, 1939, to the late Nell and Willard (Bill) Wichers. Beth spent her early years in Holland attending school, picking blueberries and working in the local Heinz pickle factory. She attended Holland High School and following graduation spent her first two years of higher education at Hope College, completing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work in 1962.
Beth married Theodore A. Du Mez in 1959. They settled in Arlington, Va., where they shared a 20-year marriage and started a family, which included the birth of their two sons, Alexander J. Wichers Du Mez and Timothy Van Haitsma Du Mez. At this time Beth also started a trailblazing career in social work.
She taught courses at George Mason University, completed her directed practice in public welfare serving disabled children, and worked at the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) from 1984 to 1999. While at NASW she held several positions including staffing the Division of Standards and Accreditation at the Council on Social Work Education. She then managed the Office of Ethics and Professional Review. She and a small team of highly respected colleagues took on the challenge of revising the NASW Code of Ethics, which was completed in 1996.
In her retirement she continued to consult in the creation and revision of several international social work Codes of Ethics. She also published “Celebrating Social Work: Faces and Voices of the Formative Years”, a book sharing stories from influential practitioners and thought leaders that laid the groundwork for the modern field of social work, in 2003.
Beth is survived by her sons, Alexander J. Wichers Du Mez (Debbie) and Timothy Van Haitsma Du Mez (Deb); grandchildren, Rachel (Benjamin) Du Mez-Kornegay, Henry (Kelsey) Du Mez, Grace Du Mez and Lucas Du Mez; and great-grandson August Du Mez (son of Henry and Kelsey).
A graveside service honoring Beth’s life will be held on Saturday, April 26 at 11 a.m. at Pilgrim Home Cemetery in Holland with a reception to follow at Third Reformed Church, 111 W. 13th St., Holland.
Linnay Balk, 82
Linnay Balk, 82, of Holland, passed away on Saturday, April 19, 2025.
Linnay was born in Holland on Jan. 2, 1943, to Gerritt and Cornelia (Van Gorp) DeLeeuw. She graduated from Holland Christian High School and attended Hope College. She married Paul Steigenga and they were raising their three children in Holland when Paul died suddenly in 1981. Linnay went back and completed nursing school at Grand Rapids Community College.
Linnay married Rev. Carl Balk, who was serving at Community Reformed Church, in 1982. Linnay and Carl and family moved shortly after to Byron Center to Corinth Reformed Church. Carl and Linnay retired after serving at his last pastoral charge at Rose Park Reformed in Holland. While Carl was serving as a pastor, Linnay was serving as a nurse for 25 years at Spectrum Health Hospitals before their retirement. When they retired, they became members of Fellowship Reformed Church of Holland.
Linnay was a talented athlete and enjoyed tennis, golf, bowling, and later enjoyed watching her children and grandchildren’s athletic endeavors. Linnay enjoyed Dutch dancing with her daughter Lisa.
Linnay was also preceded in death by her daughter, Lisa Knooihuizen in 2020, and her husband, Carl Balk in 2023.
Linnay is survived by her children and grandchildren, Tom and Susan Steigenga (Tyler, Kyle) of Holland and Matt and Allison Steigenga (Collette, Colton, Preston) of East Lansing; son-in-law, James Knooihuizen of Holland, sister, Barbara (Gordon) Veeneman; in-laws, Hazel Steigenga Smith, Dan and LaRae Steigenga, Sally and Bruce DeWit, Andy Stellingwerf, and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral service will be held at 12 noon today at Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 E. 16th St., Holland. Visitation will take place from 11 to 11:45 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will be in Pilgrim Home Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation.
LeRoy Koopman, 89
The Rev. LeRoy George Koopman, 89, of Holland, died on Nov. 3, 2024.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 64 years, Marjorie (Hook) Koopman; his parents, the Rev. August and Bertha (Ramaker) Koopman; his stepmother, Jeanette (Bolt) Koopman; and his sister and brother-in-law, Janet and Dr. David Van Dyke.
LeRoy graduated from Central (Iowa) College and Western Theological Seminary, and later earned a master’s degree from Northern Baptist Seminary. In 1957 he married Marjorie Hook of Aplington, Iowa, and together they served three congregations: Faith Community Church in Stickney, Ill.; Emmanuel Reformed Church in Morrison, Ill.; and Christ Community Church in Pompano Beach, Fla. He subsequently was employed for four years as the associate editor of the Church Herald and for 21 years as Secretary for Mission Information for the Reformed Church in America.
He authored 15 books in the religious field, including the Beauty Care series of Bible Studies and Taking the Jesus Road: The Ministry of the Reformed Church in America among Native Americans. In Holland he was a member of Hope Academy of Senior Professionals, the Evergreen Chorale, the Singing Dominies quartet, and the reACTORS theatre.
He is survived by his children, Kendall (Jan) Koopman of Dexter and Lori (Tom) Duda of Rochester Hills; and grandchildren, Chelsea (Zachary) Crawford, Patrick Koopman, Taylor Duda, and Megan Koopman (Cameron Clark).
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 26 at Christ Memorial Church, 595 Graafschap Rd., Holland. Burial will take place at Lakewood Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may given in Rev. Koopman’s honor to Native American ministries of the Reformed Church in America at Reformed Church in America, Attn: Finance Dept., 4500 60th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512 or online at www.rca.org/give.
Maynard Van Noord, 84
Maynard “June” Van Noord Jr., 84, of Hudsonville, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Thursday, April 17, 2025.
June was preceded in death by wife of 62 years, Yvonne Van Noord; his parents, Maynard Sr. and Lucille Van Noord; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Harvey and Angie Brink; his sister-in-law, Bev Van Noord; his brother-in-law, Chuck Frasier; his son-in-law, Jeff Majzel; and his granddaughter, Jessica Reinardy.
June was born in Zeeland on June 2, 1940. He devoted 29 years to firefighting to the city of Wyoming. During this time, he also farmed. In retirement, he was a courier for the city of Wyoming and for Chemical Bank. He also started Van Noord Mowing, which took care of the four cemeteries in Jamestown Township.
June was a strong leader. As a lieutenant in the fire department, he worked alongside the men that he led. He was an example of Christ, and was a deacon at Forest Grove Reformed Church, where he was a lifelong member. As a father, he modeled hard work, grit, and how to treat others with respect.
He is survived by his children, Mark (Melinda) Van Noord, Dave (Sue) Van Noord, Joan (Mark) Reinardy, and Joy Majzel; grandchildren, Ben Van Noord, Lindsey (Tyler) Kempema, Zach (Erin) Van Noord, Cody Van Noord, Leah, Emily, and Toby Reinardy, and Jenna Majzel; seven great-grandchildren; siblings, Karen (Terry) De Kraker, Mary (Dan) De Groot and Ken Van Noord; brother-in-law and sisters-in-law, Bruce (Becky) Brink and Jane Frasier.
A funeral service will be at 4 p.m. Saturday, April 26 at Forest Grove Reformed Church, 1630 32nd Ave., Hudsonville. A time for viewing will proceed the service from 3 to 3:45 pm. There will be an opportunity for food and fellowship following the service in the activities building behind the church.
Memorial contributions may be given to: Day to Day Hope at daytodayhope.org or Justice for All at jfa-nwiowa.org.
Duane Zoerhof, 77
On April 18, 2025 - on Good Friday - Duane Jay Zoerhof, a beloved husband, father, friend, and follower of Jesus, passed into the arms of Jesus after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease and short
battle with cancer. He was 77.
Duane grew up in Holland and lived in West Michigan for the majority of his life. After high school, Duane served in Germany as a specialist in the United States Army during the Vietnam conflict.
Following his time in the Army, Duane worked as a salesman and, in his work, met his wife, Linda. They were married in 1977. Duane and Linda launched a telecommunications business, DLS Telecommunications, which Duane operated until retirement.
Duane is survived by his wife, Linda, sister, Jennifer (husband Bobby), and his four children, Kirstin (husband Aaron), Josh (wife Kristi), Jon (wife Mary), and Rachel (husband Josh), along with nine grandchildren. Additionally, Duane joins his daughter Susanna in eternity.
A memorial service to celebrate Duane’s life will be at 11 a.m. today in the auditorium of Ridge Point Community Church, 340 104th Ave., Holland.
Kenneth Ver Beek, 94
Kenneth Ver Beek, 94, of Zeeland passed away Thursday, April 17, 2025.
Ken was a member of North Street Christian Reformed Church. He worked at General Electric for 27 years and he sang in the Holland Windmill Chorus for nine years.
He was preceded in death by wife, Antoinette “Toni” in 2024; his granddaughter, Amy Ver Beek Brown; and his sisters, Jeanette Boerman, Gladys Klomparens and Juella Poll.
He is survived by his children, Kerry and Cindy Ver Beek, Danny and Michele Ver Beek, Vicki and Doug Ball, and Shelley and William Vander Meulen; 14 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
A funeral service was held Wednesday, April 23, at North Street Christian Reformed Church, 20 E. Main Ave., Zeeland. Interment was in Bentheim Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be given to Faith Hospice, Royal Park Atrium or North Street Christian Reformed Church.
