A man of conviction and faith, Rev. Floyd De Boer found great joy in being a minister of God’s Word and serving in the Christian Reformed Church. It was a big loss when his hearing started to fail in the late 1980s, causing him to retire sooner than he would have liked.
He remained fully engaged, however, in the life of the church. “Every evening he would get on the computer,” explained his family, “and read everything going on with the CRC, checking out the Yearbook that was always on this desk and reading The Banner.”
He kept up with local and national news on television and by reading the paper. His mind was sharp until his death at age 86 on February 21 following a four-year struggle with lung disease.
De Boer graduated from Calvin Theological Seminary in 1954 and faithfully served five congregations: Beaverdam CRC in Hudsonville, Mich.; Rogers Heights CRC in Grand Rapids, Mich.; Newton (N.J.) CRC; Milwood CRC in Kalamazoo, Mich.; and Ackley (Iowa) CRC. He retired in 1992 and returned to Kalamazoo to be near family. “He was always engaged in our lives,” they said at his funeral, “and always there if you needed any help or sound advice.”
An avid sports fan, he enjoyed watching football, basketball, and baseball. His family will remember the many Saturday afternoons spent with him watching sports. Most of all, though, it’s his love for the church and for their mother that leaves a legacy for his sons. “By his actions,” they said, “he taught us boys how to be loving husbands, fathers, and men of faith. He will be sorely missed!”
De Boer was predeceased by his wife, Ruth, in 2011. He is survived by his children Bob and Char, Ron and Irene, Dan and Jan, John and Chris, and by 12 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.
About the Author
A former nurse and chaplain, Janet Greidanus is a freelance news correspondent and long-time writer of the In Memoriam column for The Banner.
