Lawrence Oele

Lawrence Joseph Oele, 92, of Belmont, passed away peacefully on April 22nd, surrounded by 19 members of his loving family and is now putting his prodigious woodworking skills to use in heaven's workshop. Lawrence was born in Grand Rapids and was a lifetime resident of Belmont. He served his country in WWII in the army in the China/Burma/India theater. After the war, he worked at Gunn Furniture in Grand Rapids which started his carpentry career. As a carpenter and then foreman, he worked for Owen-Ames and Kimball for over 30 years, helping build such structures as the LifeSaver Plant in Holland and the Mutual Home Bank in downtown Grand Rapids. He was a longtime master carpenter and furniture maker, whose handiwork and creations live on in homes all over Michigan. He enjoyed taking a project idea and turning it into reality. He made everything from birdhouses, to rocking chairs, to grandfather clocks to pole barns and houses. He loved repairing furniture and he saw value in every piece of wood, no matter how large or small. He taught his children the value and rewards of hard work and how to play cards. He taught his grandchildren and great-grandchildren the joys of turtle hunting, swimming and how to have coffee and donuts in bed. For decades, he and his wife Bernie held annual summer family reunions at their cottage at Englewright Lake. At times, up to 75 family members gathered to eat, swim and play volleyball. He is survived by his loving wife of almost 68 years, Bernice; his daughter Gail and Greg Rapp, his son Mike and Jean Oele, and daughter Sandra and Kurt Schuiling; grandchildren, Ryan and Melissa Rapp, Adam and Anna Rapp, Julianne Rapp, Steven and Kendra Oele, Daniel Oele and Joshua and Heather Oele, Aaron and Shawna Schuiling, Emily and Doug Sluiter, and Andrew and Emily Schuiling. He also enjoyed his 8 great-grandchildren; Avery, Morgan and Henry Sluiter, Kaylee and Rosalina Rapp, Addison Rapp, Madelyn Oele, and Chase Schuiling with three more babies expected this year. He was preceded in death by his brother Jerry and Rosie Oele and is survived by his sisters Shirley and Mike Flikkema and Ruth and Jim McKellar; sisters-in-law Florence and Tom Scheidel and Adele and Antonio DeBrito. The family would like to thank Dr. Gaca, Pauline, Lisa, Lorrie and the rest of the staff for their many years of care for both Lawrence and Bernice. Funeral services will be held 11:00 AM April 27, 2016 at the Stegenga Funeral Chapel - Belmont, 1601 Post Dr. NE. His family will greet relatives and friends on Tuesday from 6 to 8 PM and one hour prior to the service on Wednesday. Interment will take place at Rosedale Memorial Park. To share a photo, memory and sign the family's online guestbook, please visit: www.stegengafuneralchapel.com. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Lawrence J. Oele please visit our Sympathy Store.