Donald “Donny” Vanden Bos, Jr.

Donald Vanden Bos Jr, age 82, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, passed away Friday, April 4, 2025. Don was born September 1, 1942 to Donald Sr. and Marie Vanden Bos. Don leaves behind many friends, co-workers and family.

Don was a generous and brilliant man who had a love for auto racing and perfecting the automation industry with his ingenuity and understanding of the Tool and Die Industry. He always had a unique spin on life with his one-of-a-kind sense of humor.

Don graciously helped those around him and always had a few words of wisdom to share. Along with the long list of accomplishments throughout his life, he won the 1969 US Trap Shooting Championship and was a master shot with the Kent County Conservation League, something most people could only dream of. Don went on to master anything he put his heart and soul into: golf, billiards, racing, skeet, business, it didn’t matter; Don would master it with class, and then move on to the next challenge. In Don’s spare time, he enjoyed building race cars, both circle track and road course cars, and he built some of the nicest cars. Don became successful in his own right in local short track racing, both as a car owner and driver, and often sponsored other teams as well. HMR Motorsports was a very competitive organization that encompassed several different types of racing including NASCAR trucks, Outlaw Late Models, the Viper Racing League and many other forms of racing. HMR was one of Don’s most treasured accomplishments and is still intact today owned by special friend Jamie Hamm of Bonefied Customs Inc. Donny, as he was known to many, enjoyed following the latest and greatest news and updates from Berlin Raceway, or Marne as he called it.

Don was a successful business owner, carrying on the company his father had owned from 1949 until 1986. Don purchased Hill Machinery and took it to new levels never imagined before finally retiring. Don found ways to adapt to the ever-changing auto industry and related technology. He believed strongly in building the company around quality employees and teamwork. With those qualities, Don was able to celebrate Hill Machinery’s100th anniversary in 2011, which was a significant milestone in Don’s life and career.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Donald Vanden Bos Sr. and Marie (VanderLinde). Don was also preceded in death by his dear friend, Anne Little, with whom he was blessed to share friendship, companionship, and love in his later years. He will be lovingly remembered by his sister, Jeanne (Mike) Urbanski; niece, Dana (Cory) Bultman; nephew, Chad Teague; best friend, Jamie (Christy) Hamm; many other friends and family members.

A celebration of life gathering will be held from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm on Sunday, April 27th at Bonefied Customs, 11505 Cascade Road SE Lowell, MI 49331. Please celebrate Donny’s remarkable life with family and friends.  Feel free to share some stories and tales about a man who will be greatly missed by all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Kent County Conservation League, PO Box 397, Ada, MI  49301 or the American Diabetes Association. The Conservation League is where Don and his parents spent a lot of time together in his youth. He would be honored to continue helping others, as he was known to do so frequently. Godspeed Don.