Marisa Van Til

Marisa R. Van Til, age 20, was very unexpectedly taken from us on Friday, January 20, 2017. Marisa was the light of our lives, a loving, kind, and caring person who was loved and will be forever missed by her parents, Jeff Van Til and Jennifer (Jocis) Van Til; brothers, Mason Van Til, Christian Van Til, and Romeo Smith; grandparents, Pete and Patricia Van Til, Frank Jocis (Lisa McGuire), Mary and Richard Slawinski; very special uncles and aunts, Chris Van Til (fiancée, Wendy Stowell), Frank Jocis, April (Slawinski) and Darryl Fletcher; great aunts and uncles, cousins, other family members; her craniofacial and Apert families; very special friend, Hannah Vruggink, who was always there for Marisa; and longtime friend, Tanoya Wilson. Marisa loved her family and friends dearly. Marisa was a graduate of Jenison High School, class of 2015. She loved her job at Taco Bell and the people she worked with. She also loved Jesus and is walking with him now and forever. Her smile and laughter will remain with us daily, as well as her favorite quip, “Oh, baloney,” when she disagreed. Her life was a special blessing to our family and our greatest joy. Special thanks to the many wonderful doctors, too many to name, the nurses and other health professionals who have taken care of her and given her such excellent and kind and loving care since her medical journey which began at birth, and especially to Dr. Helen Scott and Dr. Ian Jackson (retired), who formerly headed her craniofacial team at the Ian Jackson Craniofacial and Cleft Palate Clinic, now at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, and Dr. Kongkrit Chaiyasate, Pediatric Plastic Surgery, who is presently heading the craniofacial team at the Clinic. A funeral service celebrating Marisa’s life will be held on Friday, January 27 at 11 am at Cottonwood Church, 1101 Cypress, Jenison, with Pastor Matt Palsrok officiating. Relatives and friends may meet the family Thursday, January 26, from 5-8 pm at Matthysse-Kuiper-DeGraaf Funeral Home (Grandville) 4145 Chicago Dr. SW, as well as on Friday for one hour prior to the service at the church.  Memorial contributions may be made in honor of Marisa to Children’s Craniofacial Association.