Marvin Freestone

Marve Freestone, age 84, passed away peacefully on December 11, 2014 while living at Lakeside Vista Care Center in Holland, MI.

Marve was born in 1930 to Walter and Elma (Fogelsong) Freestone in Holland, MI. Marve grew up in Holland, attended Holland Public Schools, married Margie (Knapp) and raised five children. Except for one year spent in Bloomfield, CT as the director of the Home Builders Assoc. of West Hartford, Marve spent his whole life living, playing, and working in Holland. He was proud of his West Michigan roots.

Marve (and Margie) was an entrepreneur and loved to try new jobs and new things. Marve worked in Holland as a Fireman, Square Dance caller throughout Michigan (40 years), Manager of the Wooden Shoe Factory, Downtown Holland Retail Souvenir Shop, Director of the Holland Home Builders Association in West Hartford, CT and Holland, Owner of the Ottawa Beach General Store, and the Fish Fever Fishing Charter Service. Marve also contracted to maintain boats and boat docks and slips on the north shore of Lake Macatawa throughout winter months. Throughout Marve’s entire life he always found time (along with his wife Margie) to serve the community in numerous ways as manager and promoter in the 60’s for the Holland Home Show, building floats for the Tulip Time Parades, cub-scout leader and coach for softball, volunteering at Evergreen Commons and at Christ Memorial Church.

Some of Marve and Margie’s favorite pastimes after retirement were to take their travel-trailer to meet countless interesting people and to work at Yellowstone National Park (Captain Marve on the tour boat), Grand Canyon National Park Retail shops, Wall Drugs in SD and Adventure Land Amusement Park in Iowa. There were always great stories, photos and adventures to experience and share.

Marve was preceded in death by his wife Margie Freestone, a son Spencer Scott Freestone and half-brother William Freestone.

He is survived by his children, Linda Freestone (Richard) Schaftenaar of Holland, Nola Freestone (Bob Levitan) of Helena, MT, Ken (Lorma) Freestone of Holland, Mike (Deanne) Freestone of Holland; grandchildren, Tonya (Art) Tolsma, Aubrey (Manny), Cody (Amber), Brad, Chase, Kray, Anna; great-grandchildren, Nola, Areal, David, Megan, Thessaly and Oceano; sister Nancy (Bill) Marshall of Zephyrhills, FL; sister-in-law Dorothy Knapp, as well as several cousins and nephews.

The family also wishes to extend their gratitude for the loving care provided by the staff at Lakeside Vista Care Center in Holland.

A funeral service will be 11:00AM, Monday, December 15, 2014 at Christ Memorial Church Chapel, 595 Graafschap Rd. in Holland.

Reverends Bill Boersma and Robert Nykamp will be officiating.

Burial will be in Pilgrim Home Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 6-8PM, Sunday, December 14, 2014 at the Holland Area Arts Council, 150 East 8th Street.

Memorial contributions may be given to Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, 2600 Virginia Ave., NW, Suite 104, Washington D.C. 20037 or visit the following links, https://donate.vvmf.org/page/outreach/view/faces-never-forgotten/rkschmidt or http://www.vvmf.org/education-center.

Arrangements are by Dykstra Funeral Home – Downtown Chapel. To sign an on-line registry or leave a memory please visit www.dykstrafuneralhome.com