Gerald Baas

Died Monday afternoon January 5, 2009. Gerald was born July 23, 1935 in Kalamazoo, Michigan a son of Gerard and Bertha (Meyaard) Baas. He was a 1953 graduate of Kalamazoo Central High School. He served two years Honorably with the U.S. Army stationed in Germany. In 1959, he graduated from Western Michigan University with a BBA. He had been a lifelong Kalamazoo area resident and owned and operated Gerald Baas Builders. He was also a member of the Kalamazoo Area Board of Realtors for 48 years. He was preceded in death by his parents. On August 18, 1956, he was united in marriage to Phyllis I. (Fricke) Baas who survives. Also surviving, three children, Randall (Carol) Baas of Portage, Beth (John) Rodee of Marietta, GA, and Daniel (Lori) Baas of Grand Rapids; eight grandchildren; two sisters, Jayne Carpenter of Kalamazoo and Alberta Skinner of Portage; a brother, Donald (Janet) Baas of Vicksburg; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Services will be held 11 o'clock Friday from the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Portage Chapel, 411 E. Centre Ave. Visitation will be 2-4 and 6-8 PM Thursday. Interment will be in Mt. Ever-Rest Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission, Michigan Heart Association, or the Michigan Diabetes Association. 343-1508.