Herman DeWaard

Herman DeWaard age 80, of Kalamazoo, passed away late at night on the first day of the new year, 2016, under the loving care of Emmanuel Hospice at Sunset Manor in Jenison.  He was born August 28, 1935, in Kanawha Iowa, the son of Peter and Sadie (Beninga) DeWaard. On June 6, 1959, he was united in marriage to Ann Dykstra in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan. He was born during the Depression in a house without electricity, surrounded by the corn fields of Iowa. There he farmed with his family, and fished, hunted, trapped and found arrowheads in the fields where buffalo once roamed.   He first attended a one-room schoolhouse and then graduated from high school at the age of 16.  While his father and brothers thrived on an operation carved from the world’s finest farmland, Herm left for Michigan and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Calvin College in 1958.  Herm served in the Army Reserves, and then married the love of his life, Ann Dykstra, a high-spirited city girl from the heart of Detroit.  He worked in pharmaceutical research for the UpJohn Company in Kalamazoo for over thirty years. There he was part of testing involving such landmark drugs as ibuprofen and Rogaine.  While he enjoyed reading, bird-watching, comedic entertainment (Woody Allen and Seinfeld mostly), and the Detroit Tigers, his greatest pastime was conversation on such subjects as religion, politics, and his latest theory on nearly any topic that might be raised.  He honed his conversational skills at “after church” coffee in Iowa, practiced them in college with his dear friends, such as Irv and Agnes Kroeze, and enjoyed them with his close friends at Westwood Christian Reformed Church.  He did some of his best talking at Montague soirees at Lake Michigan with the Dykstra clan and on family trips to Iowa with the DeWaards. His greatest conversations, however, were saved for with his loving wife, children, grandchildren and great granddaughter, to whom he committed his life, his heart, and nearly all of his time. He will be greatly missed. Surviving are three sons, Peter (Rhonda) DeWaard of Jenison, Ronald (Jeanne) DeWaard of Grand Rapids, and Michael (Jennifer) DeWaard of Holland; eight grandchildren, Nicholas (Kristin), Steven, Eric, Nelleke, Jack, Nathaniel, Ben, and Charlie DeWaard;  and one great grandchild Elena; his brother, John (Beverly); and sisters, Adriana Beving and Ruth Diephuis; sister-in-law, Mary Lou; and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death were his wife, Ann, and parents; one brother, Gary, and brothers-in-law, Roger and Duane. Funeral services for Herm will be on Wednesday, January 6, at 11am at Matthysse-Kuiper-DeGraaf Funeral Home, 4145 Chicago Dr, Grandville SW, MI 49418, with Rev. Scott Vanderwal officiating. Private interment will be in Georgetown Cemetery, Jenison. Friends may visit with the family from 6-8 pm on Tuesday, January 5, at the funeral home and from 10-11 am Wednesday, January 6, prior to the service at the funeral home. As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be directed to Sunset Manor Benevolence Fund.