Bruce Harkema, 77
Bruce Alan Harkema, 77, passed away Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family.
Bruce was born to Justin and Beverly Harkema in Muskegon on June 20, 1949. When he was 6 years old, his family relocated to Holland, where he would build the life and legacy that meant so much to him.
Bruce graduated from Holland Christian High School and attended Calvin University before ultimately following the family plumbing trade. Plumbing was more than a profession for Bruce — it was a family tradition and a craft he took great pride in. He made his professional home at Nick Unema Plumbing and Heating, where he devoted more than 40 years doing what he loved with people he loved.
Bruce’s faith was the foundation of his life. He loved the Lord and sought to honor Him through a life of humble service — to his family, his church, his work, and his community. Service was simply part of who Bruce was. He was the kind of man who showed his love through his presence, his willingness to help, and his steady commitment to others. He was a family man through and through, a quiet and humble leader whose life spoke through the way he served.=
Bruce found joy in the simple and lasting things in life. He loved fishing, woodworking, mission trips, watching sports, and spending time outdoors with family and friends. He especially loved water — whether water skiing at the cottage, the Florida beaches, or the lakes of the U.P. He loved watching his children and grandchildren do what they loved and took great pride in cheering them on.
Bruce was preceded in death by his mother, Beverly; father, Justin; brother, Tom; sister, Patricia; and brother-in-law, Dick Valk.
Bruce is survived by his wife of 56 years, Susan; daughters, Erin (Gary) Howe, Jill (Ryan) Tanis, and Laura (Matt) Meiste; grandchildren, Abe (Kate) Howe, Evan (Jamie) Howe, Brady (Morgan) Howe, Trygve, Graham, Drew and Tanis, Cole, Addi and Brook Meiste; and great-grandchildren, Kieran and Josie Howe; brother- and sisters-in-law, Judy Valk-Kraker and Steve Kraker, Cal and Margo Mulder, and Lucy Harkema; stepmother, Mary Harkema; stepsiblings Benjamin, Joseph and Trish Harkema; and many fond cousins, nieces and nephews.
On behalf of his family, a special thanks to Meijer Heart Center and the Transplant Team; Corewell Health Oncology and Lemmen-Holton; and all the caregivers, nurses, physicians and support staff who cared for him with such compassion and dedication. The family is forever grateful for the gift of your care.
The funeral service to honor the life of Bruce will be held Friday, Sept. 4 at 11 a.m. at Faith Christian Reformed Church, 85 W. 26th St., Holland. Interment will be in Pilgrim Home Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 E. 16th St., Holland.
Memorial contributions may be given to Gift of Life and Holland Christian Schools.
Ronald Scholten, 89
Ronald Peter Scholten, 89, of Holland, passed away on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026.
Ron was born and raised in West Michigan. He led a life characterized by love, faith, and dedication. He proudly served in the U.S. Army and enjoyed a fulfilling career at Shaklee for six decades. Having initially honed his skills as a carpenter, woodworking remained a lifelong passion.
Ron enjoyed playing racquetball, pickleball, and billiards, embracing opportunities to connect with friends and family through friendly competition. His strong faith in Jesus was a cornerstone of his life, and he was always ready to share the gospel with those he encountered.
Ron is survived by his wife of nearly 70 years, Vera Scholten; children, Thomas and Nella Scholten, Timothy and Lori Scholten, Victoria and Rick Walters, David and Lisa Scholten, and Daniel and Suzanne Scholten; 14 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; siblings, Joanne and Mitch De Hoog, Carole Scholten, Jean DeYoung, Mark and Linda Scholten, and Paul and Kim Scholten; in-laws, Ruth and Ron Telman, Lee and Jean Scholma, Bernard and Nellie Scholma, and Calvin and Ellie Scholma; as well as many nieces and nephews.
Ron was preceded in death by his siblings, Jerry Scholten, Russ Scholten and Faith Scholten; and in-laws, Rich DeYoung and Louise Scholten.
A memorial service will be Friday, Sept. 4 at 12 noon at Yntema Funeral Home, 251 S. State St., Zeeland. Visitation will be tonight from 5 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta.
Harold Overweg, 91
Harold “Bob” Overweg, age 91 of Zeeland passed away Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Joan; his son, Michael and Amy Overweg; grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Noah and Kathyrn Overweg, Nathan Overweg and his fiancé Courtney Kayser, Janelle Piffer and her fiancé Alex Jansen (Max and Theo),
and Jeremy Piffer; brother, Kenneth Overweg; sisters-in-law, Lenora Bell and Sally Van Ess; and former son-in-law, Jon and Deborah Piffer.
Bob was preceded in death by his daughter, Pamela Piffer.
Bob and Joan were charter members of Community Reformed Church. He worked at Herman Miller for 42 years, retiring in 1995. Bob and Joan enjoyed traveling and especially spending winters in Florida.
Visitation will be tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. at Yntema Funeral Home, 251 S. State St., Zeeland. The funeral service to honor Bob will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4 at Community Reformed Church, 10376 Felch St., Zeeland. Interment will be in Restlawn Memorial Gardens.
Memorial contributions may be given to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
Mary Ebels, 86
Mary Jane Ebels, 86, of Holland, passed away Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital.
Mary was born and raised in Grand Rapids and graduated from Grand Rapids Christian High School. She worked at Russ' Restaurant for many years as a car hop and waitress. She was a Standing Stone member of Ridge Point Community Church.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband of 43 years, Glenn Ebels, in 2003; and by her in-laws, Annabelle (Floyd) Vanden Belt, Jason (Esther) Ebels, Pauline (Claude) Rouwhorst, Bernie (Jean) Ebels, Don (Nancy) Ebels, and Maxine (Jun) Hop.
Mary is survived by her children, Lori (Gregg) Insley of Zeeland, Mark (Laurie) Ebels of Zeeland, Kathy (Mark) Matthews of Florida and Steve (Julaine) Ebels of Zeeland; grandchildren, Annie Insley, Kami Insley, Kate (Jake) Van Keulen, Brooke (Dan) Rausch, Grace Ebels, Ben (Brittany) Hulst, Tyler (Hannah) Hulst, Brandon (Brenna) Hulst, Ross (Brynne) Ebels and Britta (Andrew) Bouwman; 16 great-grandchildren; siblings, Clare (Mary) Tigchelaar, Carol (Chuck) Fridsma, Don (Jan) Tigchelaar and Deb (Darrell) Gritter; and brother-in-law, Bob (Marilyn) Ebels.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, at Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 E. 16th St., Holland, with Rev. Bob Nienhuis officiating. Burial was in Restlawn Memorial Gardens.
Memorial contributions may be made to Donate Life America, and Ahadia Academy.
Marilyn Ensing, 89
Marilyn Ensing, 89, passed away peacefully on Friday, Aug. 28, 2026.
Marilyn was stay-at-home wife and mother. She was a loving and kind grandma and great-grandma. She was preceded in death by a grandchild, Matthew Avis.
Marilyn is survived by her husband of 70 years, Donald Ensing; children, Duane Ensing (Tammie Buehler), Diane and Ken Russell, and Dale Ensing; grandchildren, Amber Arriaga and Jenna Stillson; great-grandchildren, Viviana Arriaga and Gilberto Arriaga; and sister-in-law, Mary and Virgil Wilson.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, Sept. 1 at Yntema Funeral Home, 251 S. State St., Zeeland. Burial was in West Drenthe Cemetery.
Memorial contributions in Marilyn's honor may be given to Community Reformed Church, Food Pack at communityreformed.org/giving or by mail to the church at 10376 Felch St., Zeeland, MI 49464.
Keith Wolters, 69
Keith Alan Wolters, 69, of Zeeland, passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026.
Keith was a man of deep faith, a servant heart, and seemingly endless ideas and projects. He loved the Lord and lived his faith through the way he worked, served, gave, and cared for others. An electrician by trade and part owner of his family business, Keith was a natural builder and problem solver who gave countless hours of his time and talents to help build Lighthouse Community Church and serving at Grace Adventures.
Those who knew Keith well knew there was always something happening in the barn, usually with his faithful dog, Gibbs, close by. A man of many talents, he could be found restoring cars, making maple syrup, or working through whatever new idea had captured his attention. The barn was his place to create, fix, figure things out, and contemplate the many unfinished projects still waiting for him. He also found great joy in being outdoors, whether exploring the sand dunes or riding the trails in his side-by-side.
Above all, Keith loved his family. He deeply loved his children and grandchildren, and one of his greatest hopes was that they would know and follow the Lord. His legacy lives in far more than the things he built with his hands; it lives in the family he loved, the faith he shared, the people he served, and the lives he helped shape.
Keith was preceded in death by his parents, Howard and Ann (Smith) Wolters.
Keith is survived by his wife, Judy (Brewer) Wolters; daughters, Kathlyn (Jeff) Born, Kylene (Ross) Smith, and Stefan (Josh) Hull; step-sons: Chad (Julie) Meyer, Shaun (Stephanie) Meyer, and Chris (Ratchanan) Meyer; 15 grandchildren; his siblings, and many extended family members and friends.
A funeral service was held Saturday, Aug. 29 at Lighthouse Community Church, 7624 Lake Michigan Dr., Allendale, with Pastor Steve Demers officiating. Burial was in Olive Township Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be given to Hospice of Holland or Lighthouse Community Church.
Joan Voorhorst, 91
Joan Elizabeth Voorhorst, 91, of Hamilton, passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026.
Joan was a dedicated wife and mother, and she adored her grandchildren as well as great and great-great grandchildren. She enjoyed baking and knitting when she had the time. Joan's faith was a central part of her life and she was a dedicated children's Sunday School teacher at Overisel Reformed Church for 28 years.
Joan is survived by her children, Jeff and Nancy Voorhorst, LuAnn and Gene Weener, and Rick and Cindy Voorhorst; 12 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and sister, Alice and Glen Vander Kolk. She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Allen Voorhorst, in 2021.
A funeral service was held Saturday, Aug. 29 at Overisel Reformed Church, 4706 142nd Ave., Holland. Interment was in Overisel Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be given to Overisel Reformed Church Children's Sunday School.
Nancy Geneva, 69
Nancy A. Geneva, 69, passed away peacefully on June 14, 2026, in Zeeland.
Nancy was born to Herbert and Ruth (Brown) Beyer on Feb. 15, 1957, in Grand Rapids. She was described as someone who was kind and generous, loved working on crossword puzzles, playing games, shopping, watching “Dark Shadows,” was a wine connoisseur and above all loved spending time with family.
Nancy is survived by her cousins, Debra (Greg) Kroeze, Kevin (Sandi) Beyer, Tim (Karen) Beyer, Chip Beyer, Darlene (Dave) Hunter and Judy (Devon) Owen; best friend, Jolinda (Mike) VanHaften and her special kitty, Lilly. She was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Ruth Beyer; and brother, Jon Beyer.
A celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date. Arrangements are through The Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral and Cremation Services, 6291 Harvey St., Norton Shores.
