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John ten Bosch

February 28, 1916 - December 16, 2014
Grand Rapids, MI

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Visitation

Friday, December 19, 2014
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM EST
Meeting House at Porter Hills
3600 E. Fulton
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Map

Service

Friday, December 19, 2014
11:00 AM EST
Meeting House at Porter Hills
3600 E. Fulton
Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Map

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

Porter Hills Benevolent Fund
3600 E Fulton
Grand Rapids, MI 49546

Flowers


Below is the contact information for a florist recommended by the funeral home.

Ball Park Floral
8 Valley Ave.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 459-3409
Driving Directions
Web Site

Life Story / Obituary


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All who knew John ten Bosch would agree that he was a gentleman in every sense of the word. He was intelligent as well as incredibly wise, and when he spoke people knew it was a good idea to listen. It was no secret that John shared much of his journey with the love of his life, and together they witnessed their family tree blossom to include children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Through his life, he came to cherish his personal relationship with his Lord and Savior. Well respected in his work, John was an integral part of advancements both large and small, and he had an appreciation for life's tiniest features like flowers and plants as well as massive industrial construction projects. John will be deeply missed, but his timeless legacy will be proudly carried on by those who follow in his footsteps.

Nearly a century has passed since WWI loomed on the worldwide horizon. The Dutch people were affected by the war as troops were mobilized and food shortages also became a way of life. It was amidst this eventful time in the world around them that Jan and Heintje (Harders) ten Bosch were blessed with the birth of the healthy baby boy they named Jan on February 28, 1916, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He was joined in his family by his younger sister, Henderika, and as a family they enjoyed vacations spent camping in Zandvoort, Netherlands. Jan, or John as he was later known, was so skinny that he attended a camp to fatten him up two separate times while growing up. His father was a police officer while his mother was a homemaker. John always had a love for mathematics, landscape architecture, and had a lifetime fascination with bridges. He also enjoyed things like playing tennis, swimming, and riding his bike everywhere and learned to ballroom dance. One of his proudest moments while growing up was when his parents let him carry the clock that they bought with two weeks’ wages from the store to their home. As a student John attended Boerhave School, Ambach Trade School, Middle Bar Technical School, and earned his college degree and master’s in civil engineering.

When serving in the Civil Patrol during WWII, John met the love of his life while living in Amsterdam. Her name was Helen, and after dating for one year the couple became husband and wife on October 3, 1946, in Amsterdam, deeply in love. In the spring of 1947, John moved to the United States and found work on the first day he applied - and he ended up there for his entire career. His wife and son joined him about a year later, and John surprised them with a house that he had already purchased in Detroit. He later moved his parents to the United States and built them a house in Utica.

Together John and Helen welcomed three children including Robert, Nancy, and Joice, into their hearts and home. As a father he was strict, but loving, and he also disciplined his children fairly. John was caring, and his children always knew exactly what his expectations were without him having to raise his voice. Most nights he came home after a hard day at work and read the paper until dinner. A firm believer in education, John always said that all he wanted for Christmas was a good report card from his children. As a family they looked forward to vacations at Ludington State Park, usually camping in a tent. After spending around 20 years in Detroit, they moved to Southfield where they remained for 40 years.

While living in the United States, John made a career as a professional engineer as he was gifted in both structural and civil engineering. He spent his entire career at Giffels Associates doing a variety of things including logistics and soil analysis. John also designed and engineered foundations for NASA's Apollo launchpads 39 A and B as well as the Tevatron, a particle accelerator in Batavia, Illinois. John could effortlessly convert from metric to the U.S. system of measurement. When he retired his celebration was held at Cobo Hall in Detroit where he had helped engineer the facility. John was well respected at work as he was intelligent, level headed, and loved researching something before making a decision.

John was always one to be active. For years he and Helen were involved with the Hollandia Society Dutch Club where he also served as treasurer for many years. John loved going to Peabody's in Birmingham, Michigan, with friends. He and Helen made several trips back to Holland to visit relatives and friends, and he was always proud of his Dutch heritage, too. Later in life he took up gardening both plants and flowers, and he had the most beautiful patio to show for it. John was also a bit of a “plant doctor” as he helped nurse anyone’s plants back to health. He became an accomplished woodworker who even made a 16-foot sailboat from scratch including its 27 foot mast. Not surprisingly, John was meticulous in this work as well as in his other smaller woodworking projects. He started painting in oils, and when he was 55 he took up golfing, which he truly enjoyed. John loved working in investments and thoroughly studied various companies as even at Porter Hills in his last months he needed wifi access to monitor his investments. He enjoyed classical music, country music, and reading books on art and the book “Seeking His Face,” which he read on a daily basis. John was known for his sweet tooth for things like cookies and ice cream, and during the holidays he was famous for his homemade egg nog. During their retirement years he and Helen traveled to either St. Augustine, or Sarasota, Florida, in their camper with many of their Dutch friends. They also took trips to Alabama to see Joice. In 2006 they moved to Grand Rapids to be closer to family. Although he usually drove simple sedans, John had a 1972 Corvette that he loved and is still in the family today.

During his sunset years, John continued to embrace the days he was given. He enjoyed watching videos of the Dutch violinist, André Rieu, and he also grew in his faith, which was very visible to his family and friends. Although he had strong opinions, John did mellow with age and became more gentle and gracious.

Courageous, intelligent, and hardworking, John ten Bosch lived a life of purpose each day. He had an analytical mind and was always in pursuit of reason, yet he also loved the simple beauty of nature. John’s faith, his compassion, and his devotion to his family were truly unmatched. He will never be forgotten.

On December 16, 2014, John left this world and is now resting peacefully in the arms of our Lord. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen. John is survived by his children, Bob and Kathy ten Bosch, Nancy and Bob Mills, Joice and Steve Watts; grandchildren Jeff and Melissa ten Bosch, Jennifer and Shaun Walters, Bob and Sarah Mills III, Mitchell and Ashley Watts, Jessica and Danny Smelcer; and several great grandchildren. The service to remember and celebrate John's life will be held on Friday, December 19, 2014 at 11 AM at the Meeting House at Porter Hills, 3600 East Fulton where friends may visit with his family from 10 AM until the time of the service. For those who wish, memorial contributions to the Porter Hill Benevolent Fund are appreciated. To read more about John's life, to share a memory or sign his guestbook, visit www.lifestorynet.com.

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