Missionary, pastor, and social worker, Ryan Veeneman was a quiet man with a sense of humor and a heart for the Lord. He was a good listener and enabled people to feel comfortable around him. Veeneman was diagnosed with leukemia March 15, 2019, and died just 10 weeks later on May 30. He was 65.
Veeneman studied at Calvin College and Seminary, graduating in 1983. He was ordained in 1983 while serving as a missionary in the Dominican Republic with Christian Reformed World Missions (now Resonate Global Mission). After six years there, he worked for a decade as a social worker at Addiction Outpatient Services-PROST in Newaygo, Mich. He then pastored two Christian Reformed congregations in Michigan: New Hope Church in Grand Rapids and Newman Christian Community Church in Hesperia. In 2003, while at New Hope, Veeneman earned a Master’s in Social Work from Grand Valley State University. He retired in 2013.
A cyclist, Veeneman did many long-distance bike trips around Michigan, including a tandem bike ride with his wife around the "thumb" of Michigan.
Veeneman is survived by Julie, his wife of 45 years, their two children and their spouses, and two granddaughters.
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.
