Louis Tigchon

LIFESTORY:

Sitting behind the wheel of his motor home with the open road spread out before him or gliding in the clouds behind the controls of a plane is where Louis C. Tigchon loved to be. He diligently served his community as a firefighter for 38 years, but more important than that, he served the family and friends that he held so dear through his compassionate generosity over the span of his lifetime. He embraced the promise that he would one day dwell in the house of his Lord forever and continuously lived his life with this end in mind.

The decade of the 1920’s were a difficult period in our nation’s history as this was a time of prohibition and intolerance, gangsters and crime. Peter and Abbie (Moore) Tigchon, of Grand Rapids, Michigan were able to focus on the upcoming bright spot in their future, as Abbie was due to give birth to their second child at any time. They were delighted indeed when another son, whom they named Louis joined their firstborn Charles on July 24, 1928. As a young boy, Louis attended Harrison Park School on the west side of Grand Rapids and eventually attended Union High School. As was so common for boys growing up in the late thirties and early forties, Louis dropped out of school after the 11th grade in order to take a job which would help support his family. This mentality of hard work in order to provide, created a spark in Louis’s life which would turn into a flame in his years as an adult. After he worked various jobs Louis was looking for a more solid direction for his life so he took the Civil Service exam and became a firefighter for the City of Grand Rapids; a career which would span close to forty years. The strong work ethic he established as a young man led Louis to help make ends meet doing various odd jobs in addition to his work as a firefighter. He delivered The Grand Rapids Press and repaired televisions and radios which sprouted from his love of “tinkering.”

Louis’s life took a pleasant turn when he met a delightful woman named Helen Peterson at First Evangelical Covenant Church where he was attending with his four young children from a previous marriage. Helen caught his eye (or ear) as she sang in the choir and in a ladies trio. She invited him to a company dinner through her place of employment which Louis accepted on one condition: that she pick him up in her car since his was in such disrepair! That fateful invitation was the beginning of a love story which would span over 35 years as the two lovebirds dated for seven years and were later married on September 28, 1973 at their shared church home of First Covenant. The newlyweds bought a house on Sugar Pine Ct. in Jenison where they resided for what would be the remainder of Louis’s days. Louis was a dedicated husband and true family man who would always do anything for his family and was there for them whenever they needed him. His devotion for his wife Helen was displayed when he became her caretaker and the caretaker of their home when poor circulation resulted in the amputation of one of Helen’s legs. She was able to remain at home since Louis selflessly took care of all of the cooking, cleaning, and shopping that she had previously been able to do.

In addition to being able to “tinker,” Louis was a man of other talents as well. He was meticulous by nature and insisted on doing almost all of his own mechanical work. He was a pilot, and was able to get inside the cockpit of a plane that was owned by a club of which he was a member. He was an avid fisherman and was not particular of what he was fishing for, as long as it could be found in the waters of Michigan, it was alright with him. He also enjoyed goose and duck hunting, making model airplanes, and loved bowling in several leagues over the years. He was able to take advantage of his twenty year retirement and travel all around our beautiful country in his motor home with his wife Helen by his side. He was able to make those around him feel cherished with his selfless gestures of love, rarely accepting anything in return. His outgoing personality allowed him to talk to anyone and he greatly enriched the lives of others with his great sense of humor which could brighten anyone’s darkest days.

Louis was a great man of faith who demonstrated his dependence on His Lord until his last days. As his body began to age, Louis received a pacemaker in response to a failed stress test. This would prove to be a temporary fix, however, as God had a different plan for Louis.

Louis Tigchon was a man who loved many things in life; whether it was the gospel music of southern gospel quartets, the feel of a fishing rod in his hands or the challenge of fixing something that was in need of repair. The two things Louis held most dear were his faith and his family. Louis was a beloved brother, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who will be forever cherished in the memories of those he leaves behind.

Louis C. Tigchon died on Tuesday, November 26, 2008. Louis’s family includes his wife Helen, his children: Gerald (Susan) Tigchon of Grand Rapids, Ronald Tigchon and friend Kris Kozminski of Saranac, Sandra (Brian) Beach of Silver Hills, FL, four grandchildren, three great grandchildren, his brother, Charles Tigchon and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son William in 1980. Funeral services will be held Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at the First Evangelical Covenant Church, 1933 Tremont Blvd. NW with interment in Rosedale Memorial Park. Friends may greet the family on Friday from 2:00 - 4:00 and 6:00 - 8:00p.m. at Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes - Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel - Grand Rapids, MI, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr NW. Please visit Louis’s memory page at

www.lifestorynet.com, where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial contribution to First Evangelical Covenant Church Building Fund, 1933 Tremont Blvd., 49504.