Donald Wierenga
Aug 25th 1930 - Apr 20th 2009
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Paul Buth
April 29th 2009
Buth35@aol.com
Uncle Don was a man with a zest to capture life fully.His boundless enthusiasm has surely been inspirational to many people including myself. I particularly admired him for his willingness to help people in need down in Mississippi and in Afrrica. He was truly gifted with an artistic touch and a craftsman"s ability to build. He was also a very tender and gentle man. My sympathies to all of the family
Hans Spuijbroek & Marianne van Herpen
April 29th 2009
marianmarianne.vanherpen@casema.nl
We are known as "the Dutch connection". Ever since Hans' niece Hettie van der Werf spend time at the Wierenga's as an exchange student, Hans was adopted into the family. He came over for the summer of 1978 at a very inconvenient time but recieved a warm welcome. Don and Hans worked on the house on Lake Michigan (you can still see the hammermarks Hans made!). We have spend time with Don and Ginny in their homes in Michagan and South Padre Island. Don and Ginny visited us several times. We went looking for his roots in Driehuizen Zeeland and saw Don get very emotional when he found the ancestoral home with " De Korne" engraved in the windowsill. On our honeymoon to Paris and Denmark (for Don and Ginny couldn't agree on anything!) Don tried to videotape a ride on the rollercoaster in Tivoli, Copenhagen Denmark. Once our kids were born, Boppy didn't even mind changing the diaper of a very blond Dutch boy named Laurens. He went on a fishingtrip with Hans in Texas and got very seasick. He claimd that the Duth windmill cookies my mother had given us for our trip saved his life. We have very fond memories of his last visit to our home in the summer of 2006. Don lived as a Dutchman, rode a bike, brought the kids to school and drank strong Dutch coffee with my parents (who don't speak English, but that was no problem for Don). We will miss him.
Ginny, Debby, Cindy, Sue and the rest of the family and friends, we are so sorry for your loss and send you all our love from Oosterhout, The Netherlands. You are in our prayers and in our hearts.
Steve Groters
April 27th 2009
1spg@sbcglobal.neet
As a fellow elemtary principal, with similar interests, I always admired Don's professionalism and passion for children and learning. He always had a gentle smile whether it was following a tough 10K race or committee meeting. I ran Boston Marathon, am an avid golfer and just took up tennis this year in our "winter Home" in Florida. I only wish I could have played with him........he'd have given me some great tips as he was such a giving person.
The Lord felt it was time to call him Home! We rejoice in his life on earth and know he is living eternally.
What a guy, I'm glad our paths crossed.
Jean Hindenach
April 25th 2009
s.hindenach@comcast.net
Dear Ginny and family, Sending prayers and strength. I have many great memories of teaching with you, Ginny. Please accept my sincerest of warm thoughts your way. Thanks for sharing Don with us. He was the most handsome of handsome men and he had a warm, fun heart to go right along with his good looks. I remember you guys hosting our school parties and he was the host of the night...always gracious and making sure we had a good time. I was so impressed with his ingenious ideas of building as well as adding little things to make your home special.... like the telephone booth for the girls to talk in, the decks growing around the tree, the angled siding on the house/garage. He surely knew how to make life count and how to treat others. May his wonderment and memories travel with you often. Peace to you and your family. Jeanie Hindenach
sandra frazier
April 25th 2009
fraziersj@comcast.net
so sorry for your loss. i don't remember a lot of teachers, but i do remember mr. wierenga from 7th grade at harrison park jr.high. i wasn't a great student but i remember him as a great teacher. i lived on courtney and every day i'd walk home pass your apartment on crosby. don't know why i remember that. again i'm so sorry for your loss.
Tom and Ruth Van Wingen
April 25th 2009
Sorry to read of Don's untimely passing. We all (including the kids) have fond memories of days spent together when are families were young. We regret having lost touch in recent years. Our prayers, sympathies and best wishes to all.
Carol DeKorne Lenger
April 24th 2009
carol.lenger@gmail.come
I'll never forget the work and organization that Don put into planning our huge DeKorne reunion at Glen Lake a few years ago. I've always been grateful to him for helping make that 'party' a go!
Jan Dressander
April 24th 2009
jdressander@khps.org
Ginny and family: So sorry to read of the death of your husband. I remember him as a real craftsman and lived on Kingsbury when I first moved to GR. Our children were so honored to have you as an educator at Marne. We will always remember going to Kirk Park for pizza and then going to your home on the big lake. Our thoughts are with your family at this difficult time. George, Jan, Shane and Abby
someone in the neighborhood
April 23rd 2009
mycherokeepurple@yahoo.com
We live along the Lakeshore in Douglas and got to know Don when he was walking that great big malamute. We didn't know his name then and we started calling him Husky Man. We still do call him Husky Man when we refer to him among ourselves. We'd see him at the beach, on the road and always at Black River concerts.
He sure loved that little black dog. He always had a smile and was happy to spend time talking to us. We will really miss seeing Husky Man in the neighborhood.
Christine MacLean
April 23rd 2009
christinemaclean@contentstudio.com
I only met Mr. Wierenga once, at Deb's chapbook reading at Til Midnight a few years ago, but I'd been hearing from him for years because he enjoyed commenting on Deb's jugglezine.com essays. Sometimes he commented on the content of the piece (see his comment at the bottom of Deb's "Time Will Tell" essay) but most of his comments were "atta girls" for Deb (that's my loose interpretation of his words, not an exact quote!). Those didn't make it onto the site, but I tried to remember to send them to Deb. So that is the way I remember Mr. Wierenga--as a man who was proud of his daughter and the way she strings words together.
Louellyn Lambros
April 23rd 2009
llambros46@hotmail.com
I met Don many years ago when Deb and I were freshmen at college here in Massachusetts. His personal warmth and high energy were extraordinary. In his fifties, he came out to the East Coast to run the Boston Marathon, accompanied by his concerned family. ; - ) He had great spirit for everything he embarked upon. I was especially impressed by the stories of his activities in retirement, particularly the use of his home building skills to help people in need. He showed us all that we can be active and engaged throughout the life span. This is his legacy to us. It is not just in the lives of those he has personally helped with his good works, but also in the lives of those of us he has inspired.
Anna Lisa Schneider
April 23rd 2009
inspiraled.world@gmail.com
My family is spread through out the entire country. I rarely got to see my grandfather, and when I did, he wasn't exactly the most warmest guy in the world.
I met Emerson through Discovery where we became good friends and soon our families started hanging out. I was soon introduced to Boppy. He would always hug me, which honestly at first weirded me out. However, I soon got over that and offically adopted Boppy as a suragate grandpa.
I have so many memories of Beach Night and hanging out at the cottage, and of course, Movie Premiere night when we watched the movies us kids made.
Boppy was always so incredibly warm, happy and supportive of everyone.
And he gave the best hugs.
Kate Wheeler
April 22nd 2009
katewheeler@sbcglobal.net
We've thinking today of how many wonderful memories we have of Don: his cheerful presence at family birthdays and holidays; his wonderful projects with his grandsons; his amazing generosity to and compassion for everyone around him. When Debra's boys were little, I remember him on the floor amid the wrapping paper, helping the birthday child put together a new toy and getting so much fun out of watching it being played with. Remember on Dylan's first birthday, how he organized us all into a little parade, where we pulled Dyl in a red wagon and Don walked backwards the whole way, recording the moment? Who could, in fact, forget how he turned every gathering into a media event with his filming of many cake-cuttings, gift-givings, and talking dog jokes. It was a joy to have known him and to have shared him with the family he loved so much.
Kate & Don Wheeler
Paul Buth
April 29th 2009
Buth35@aol.com
Uncle Don was a man with a zest to capture life fully.His boundless enthusiasm has surely been inspirational to many people including myself. I particularly admired him for his willingness to help people in need down in Mississippi and in Afrrica. He was truly gifted with an artistic touch and a craftsman"s ability to build. He was also a very tender and gentle man. My sympathies to all of the family
Hans Spuijbroek & Marianne van Herpen
April 29th 2009
marianmarianne.vanherpen@casema.nl
We are known as "the Dutch connection". Ever since Hans' niece Hettie van der Werf spend time at the Wierenga's as an exchange student, Hans was adopted into the family. He came over for the summer of 1978 at a very inconvenient time but recieved a warm welcome. Don and Hans worked on the house on Lake Michigan (you can still see the hammermarks Hans made!). We have spend time with Don and Ginny in their homes in Michagan and South Padre Island. Don and Ginny visited us several times. We went looking for his roots in Driehuizen Zeeland and saw Don get very emotional when he found the ancestoral home with " De Korne" engraved in the windowsill. On our honeymoon to Paris and Denmark (for Don and Ginny couldn't agree on anything!) Don tried to videotape a ride on the rollercoaster in Tivoli, Copenhagen Denmark. Once our kids were born, Boppy didn't even mind changing the diaper of a very blond Dutch boy named Laurens. He went on a fishingtrip with Hans in Texas and got very seasick. He claimd that the Duth windmill cookies my mother had given us for our trip saved his life. We have very fond memories of his last visit to our home in the summer of 2006. Don lived as a Dutchman, rode a bike, brought the kids to school and drank strong Dutch coffee with my parents (who don't speak English, but that was no problem for Don). We will miss him.
Ginny, Debby, Cindy, Sue and the rest of the family and friends, we are so sorry for your loss and send you all our love from Oosterhout, The Netherlands. You are in our prayers and in our hearts.
Steve Groters
April 27th 2009
1spg@sbcglobal.neet
As a fellow elemtary principal, with similar interests, I always admired Don's professionalism and passion for children and learning. He always had a gentle smile whether it was following a tough 10K race or committee meeting. I ran Boston Marathon, am an avid golfer and just took up tennis this year in our "winter Home" in Florida. I only wish I could have played with him........he'd have given me some great tips as he was such a giving person.
The Lord felt it was time to call him Home! We rejoice in his life on earth and know he is living eternally.
What a guy, I'm glad our paths crossed.
Jean Hindenach
April 25th 2009
s.hindenach@comcast.net
Dear Ginny and family, Sending prayers and strength. I have many great memories of teaching with you, Ginny. Please accept my sincerest of warm thoughts your way. Thanks for sharing Don with us. He was the most handsome of handsome men and he had a warm, fun heart to go right along with his good looks. I remember you guys hosting our school parties and he was the host of the night...always gracious and making sure we had a good time. I was so impressed with his ingenious ideas of building as well as adding little things to make your home special.... like the telephone booth for the girls to talk in, the decks growing around the tree, the angled siding on the house/garage. He surely knew how to make life count and how to treat others. May his wonderment and memories travel with you often. Peace to you and your family. Jeanie Hindenach
sandra frazier
April 25th 2009
fraziersj@comcast.net
so sorry for your loss. i don't remember a lot of teachers, but i do remember mr. wierenga from 7th grade at harrison park jr.high. i wasn't a great student but i remember him as a great teacher. i lived on courtney and every day i'd walk home pass your apartment on crosby. don't know why i remember that. again i'm so sorry for your loss.
Tom and Ruth Van Wingen
April 25th 2009
Sorry to read of Don's untimely passing. We all (including the kids) have fond memories of days spent together when are families were young. We regret having lost touch in recent years. Our prayers, sympathies and best wishes to all.
Carol DeKorne Lenger
April 24th 2009
carol.lenger@gmail.come
I'll never forget the work and organization that Don put into planning our huge DeKorne reunion at Glen Lake a few years ago. I've always been grateful to him for helping make that 'party' a go!
Jan Dressander
April 24th 2009
jdressander@khps.org
Ginny and family: So sorry to read of the death of your husband. I remember him as a real craftsman and lived on Kingsbury when I first moved to GR. Our children were so honored to have you as an educator at Marne. We will always remember going to Kirk Park for pizza and then going to your home on the big lake. Our thoughts are with your family at this difficult time. George, Jan, Shane and Abby
someone in the neighborhood
April 23rd 2009
mycherokeepurple@yahoo.com
We live along the Lakeshore in Douglas and got to know Don when he was walking that great big malamute. We didn't know his name then and we started calling him Husky Man. We still do call him Husky Man when we refer to him among ourselves. We'd see him at the beach, on the road and always at Black River concerts.
He sure loved that little black dog. He always had a smile and was happy to spend time talking to us. We will really miss seeing Husky Man in the neighborhood.
Christine MacLean
April 23rd 2009
christinemaclean@contentstudio.com
I only met Mr. Wierenga once, at Deb's chapbook reading at Til Midnight a few years ago, but I'd been hearing from him for years because he enjoyed commenting on Deb's jugglezine.com essays. Sometimes he commented on the content of the piece (see his comment at the bottom of Deb's "Time Will Tell" essay) but most of his comments were "atta girls" for Deb (that's my loose interpretation of his words, not an exact quote!). Those didn't make it onto the site, but I tried to remember to send them to Deb. So that is the way I remember Mr. Wierenga--as a man who was proud of his daughter and the way she strings words together.
Louellyn Lambros
April 23rd 2009
llambros46@hotmail.com
I met Don many years ago when Deb and I were freshmen at college here in Massachusetts. His personal warmth and high energy were extraordinary. In his fifties, he came out to the East Coast to run the Boston Marathon, accompanied by his concerned family. ; - ) He had great spirit for everything he embarked upon. I was especially impressed by the stories of his activities in retirement, particularly the use of his home building skills to help people in need. He showed us all that we can be active and engaged throughout the life span. This is his legacy to us. It is not just in the lives of those he has personally helped with his good works, but also in the lives of those of us he has inspired.
Anna Lisa Schneider
April 23rd 2009
inspiraled.world@gmail.com
My family is spread through out the entire country. I rarely got to see my grandfather, and when I did, he wasn't exactly the most warmest guy in the world.
I met Emerson through Discovery where we became good friends and soon our families started hanging out. I was soon introduced to Boppy. He would always hug me, which honestly at first weirded me out. However, I soon got over that and offically adopted Boppy as a suragate grandpa.
I have so many memories of Beach Night and hanging out at the cottage, and of course, Movie Premiere night when we watched the movies us kids made.
Boppy was always so incredibly warm, happy and supportive of everyone.
And he gave the best hugs.
Kate Wheeler
April 22nd 2009
katewheeler@sbcglobal.net
We've thinking today of how many wonderful memories we have of Don: his cheerful presence at family birthdays and holidays; his wonderful projects with his grandsons; his amazing generosity to and compassion for everyone around him. When Debra's boys were little, I remember him on the floor amid the wrapping paper, helping the birthday child put together a new toy and getting so much fun out of watching it being played with. Remember on Dylan's first birthday, how he organized us all into a little parade, where we pulled Dyl in a red wagon and Don walked backwards the whole way, recording the moment? Who could, in fact, forget how he turned every gathering into a media event with his filming of many cake-cuttings, gift-givings, and talking dog jokes. It was a joy to have known him and to have shared him with the family he loved so much.
Kate & Don Wheeler
