Locations
StaffLife Story Funeral Director
ckleinheksel@lifestorynet.com
"The midnight hour, the darkest hour,
That human grief may know,
Sends forth its hurried summons,
Asks me to come, I go." - L.B. Lee
Theodore Roosevelt said, "Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." As a boy Craig would hear the phone ring in the middle of the night, or during Sunday dinner, or sometimes on Christmas morning. He knew his dad would have to go, because someone died; that another precious life had been lived and the family needed a funeral director.
Many have said that there are jobs with more regular hours and certainly ones that are more pleasant. Craig will quickly tell you, though, that there are no jobs more fulfilling. He learned from his dad that the greatest achievements are those that help others. And when the earthly life of a loved one comes to an end there's nothing more fulfilling than helping the family honor the life that was lived and memorialize all the cherished memories.
Holland public schools, Ferris State College, and Wayne State University prepared Craig well for the challenge of funeral service. You won't be surprised to hear that Craig knew in high school he wanted to be a funeral director. He grew up mowing grass, washing windows, polishing cars, and vacuuming the chapels and all the while kept one eye and one ear on what was happening in the funeral home as his dad, his grandfather and his Uncle Carrow conducted funerals and did all the things funeral directors do.
At the time Craig was through college the funeral home was still in the ambulance business; so Craig took the necessary training for qualification as a level three EMT. At about the same time he married the love of his life, Darlene Veenhoven. Dar had a special place in Craig's heart ever since having an English class together their senior year in high school. And, as if a wedding doesn't make you busy enough, Craig took his National Board Exams for Mortuary Science the day before the wedding.
Craig and Dar have three children: two daughters, Cari and Katie, who are both Korean, and then, twenty-one months after Katie arrived, they were blessed with the birth of a son, Cort. The girls were adopted when they were just three months old, by two wonderful people willing and anxious to share their lives and their love. Together as a family they have done exactly that whether it's at home in Holland, at the cottage in Lake City, or on vacation in Florida.
Like his father and his grandfather before him, Craig is devoted to his work and to helping families through one of the most difficult times in their lives. He still finds time, though, to play percussion at church and in the Legion Band at Tulip Time (Craig was a High School All-State Student at Interlochen National Music Camp). He also serves as a deacon at First Reformed Church and enjoys tennis and golf. Craig is active professionally, too, having served as president of Michigan Funeral Directors Association District #4.
Thomas Edison once said that, "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Craig knew this, too. His dad wasn't necessarily dressed in overalls but Craig certainly knew from watching him that funeral service was a lot of work. Craig saw the work but he also saw the opportunity to help people at a time when they need it the most. And he had the world's best role model, his dad.
That human grief may know,
Sends forth its hurried summons,
Asks me to come, I go." - L.B. Lee
Theodore Roosevelt said, "Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." As a boy Craig would hear the phone ring in the middle of the night, or during Sunday dinner, or sometimes on Christmas morning. He knew his dad would have to go, because someone died; that another precious life had been lived and the family needed a funeral director.
Many have said that there are jobs with more regular hours and certainly ones that are more pleasant. Craig will quickly tell you, though, that there are no jobs more fulfilling. He learned from his dad that the greatest achievements are those that help others. And when the earthly life of a loved one comes to an end there's nothing more fulfilling than helping the family honor the life that was lived and memorialize all the cherished memories.
Holland public schools, Ferris State College, and Wayne State University prepared Craig well for the challenge of funeral service. You won't be surprised to hear that Craig knew in high school he wanted to be a funeral director. He grew up mowing grass, washing windows, polishing cars, and vacuuming the chapels and all the while kept one eye and one ear on what was happening in the funeral home as his dad, his grandfather and his Uncle Carrow conducted funerals and did all the things funeral directors do.
At the time Craig was through college the funeral home was still in the ambulance business; so Craig took the necessary training for qualification as a level three EMT. At about the same time he married the love of his life, Darlene Veenhoven. Dar had a special place in Craig's heart ever since having an English class together their senior year in high school. And, as if a wedding doesn't make you busy enough, Craig took his National Board Exams for Mortuary Science the day before the wedding.
Craig and Dar have three children: two daughters, Cari and Katie, who are both Korean, and then, twenty-one months after Katie arrived, they were blessed with the birth of a son, Cort. The girls were adopted when they were just three months old, by two wonderful people willing and anxious to share their lives and their love. Together as a family they have done exactly that whether it's at home in Holland, at the cottage in Lake City, or on vacation in Florida.
Like his father and his grandfather before him, Craig is devoted to his work and to helping families through one of the most difficult times in their lives. He still finds time, though, to play percussion at church and in the Legion Band at Tulip Time (Craig was a High School All-State Student at Interlochen National Music Camp). He also serves as a deacon at First Reformed Church and enjoys tennis and golf. Craig is active professionally, too, having served as president of Michigan Funeral Directors Association District #4.
Thomas Edison once said that, "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Craig knew this, too. His dad wasn't necessarily dressed in overalls but Craig certainly knew from watching him that funeral service was a lot of work. Craig saw the work but he also saw the opportunity to help people at a time when they need it the most. And he had the world's best role model, his dad.
