Class Year: 1970

Susan Steiner ’71 Bolhouse

Susan Steiner Bolhouse passed away suddenly, at home in Flint, on Friday, August 6. Susan was born in Bad Nauheim, Germany on July 30, 1949, the daughter of B. Franklin Steiner, a U.S. diplomat, and Dr. Hedda Janata Steiner. She had one older brother who predeceased her. The family was of Czech extraction. She attended… Continue Reading →

Robert Garmirian ’71

Robert (Bob) Edwin Garmirian of Amherst, MA died at his home on August 25, 2021 after a 2 -year battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 72. The son of Rachel and Edwin Garmirian, Bob was born in New York City on March 27, 1949. He lived in Bayside and Douglaston, Queens until 1972… Continue Reading →

Craig Neckers ’71

Craig Steven Neckers, age 71, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, passed away surrounded by his family on Thursday, October 7, 2021 after a valiant battle against ALS. Craig was born on October 27, 1949 in Erie, Pennsylvania to Doris and Carlyle Neckers.  He was raised in New York, spending his childhood in the Town of Clymer… Continue Reading →

Dolores Schaefer ’71 Smith

Dolores ( Dee) Smith left time spent on earth with family and friends on July 22, 2021, for eternity with her Savior Jesus Christ. Dee was born on April 25th, 1930, in Columbus Ohio to Charles G. and Dorothy W Schaefer. After graduation from the Columbus School for girls, Dee attended Bryn Mawr College, but… Continue Reading →

Phyllis DeVries ’72 Everett

Phyllis Kay (DeVries) Everett of DeMotte, age 70, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family on June 29, 2021. Phyllis was born to Kenneth and Lois (Hoffman) DeVries on July 17, 1950 in Rensselaer, Indiana. Phyllis graduated from DeMotte High School, class of 1968. She then went on to graduate from Hope College in… Continue Reading →

Maryl Hage ’72 Ritsema

Maryl Jean Ritsema, age 71, passed away Wednesday, July 21, 2021. She was born May 4, 1950 in Muskegon to Russ and Ruth (Dame) Hage. On May 27, 1972, she married David Ritsema at Lake Harbor Baptist Church in Muskegon. Maryl was an adored preschool teacher who taught for Muskegon Christian School for 44 years… Continue Reading →

Philip Slagboom ’72

Philip Slagboom ’72 passed away peacefully at his home on August 5, 2021. Phil was born April 11, 1945 to the late Gerard and Dora (Van Beers) Slagboom, Sr. in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Phil was a fun-loving and devoted husband, brother and uncle who made friends easily with his beautiful smile and a twinkle in his… Continue Reading →

Jon Burg ’73

Jon Lewis Burg, 70, of Benton Harbor passed away Aug. 19, 2021, at Spectrum Health Lakeland Medical Center in St. Joseph. Jon was born July 13, 1951 in Detroit, to Gerald and Mildred (Beaudette) Burg. He lived most of his life in Benton Harbor graduating from Benton Harbor High School in 1969. He continued his… Continue Reading →

Robin Pearce ’73 Ramey

Robin P. Ramey of East Brunswick, NJ passed away on June 14, 2021, peacefully at her home. She was 69 years old. Born in New Brunswick, she grew up in East Brunswick and from an early age her knew she wanted to be a teacher. After graduation from East Brunswick High School, she attended Hope… Continue Reading →

Sheila Cerny ’73 Sila

Sheila Anne (Cerny) Sila, 70, of South Haven passed away Friday, Aug. 6, 2021, at her home following a courageous battle with glioblastoma brain cancer. She was born Feb. 5, 1951, to Frank and Doris (Albers) Cerny in South Haven. Sheila graduated from L.C. Mohr High School with the Class of 1969. She later attended… Continue Reading →

Janet Boger ’74 Mignano

Janet Louise Boger Mignano was born May 1, 1952. She passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on June 27, 2021. Following a childhood in New Jersey and Michigan, she graduated from Seaholm High School, before attending Hope College, where she majored in business administration. After college, she became a manager at a Kmart store… Continue Reading →

Barbara Basnett ’74 Inman

Barbara Inman, age 68, of Holland, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, June 16, 2021. Ms. Inman was born to John and Elinore Basnett in Rochester, New York on September 19, 1952. Barb graduated from Hope College in 1974. She was a lifelong physical education teacher having taught for Zeeland Public Schools for 31… Continue Reading →

Willa Lemken ’74

Willa Lemken passed away Thursday, July 22, 2021. Willa was born to Evelyn M. Lemken (nee Timmerman) and Russell K. Lemken, Sr. in Queens, NY on April 16, 1951. Willa spent her girlhood in New York enjoying her dad’s wry wit, her mom’s home cooking, outings with her sisters Alison and Hilary for a beverage… Continue Reading →

L. James Lemmen Jr. ’76

Lloyd James Lemmen, “Jim,” age 66, went home to be with his Lord August 16, 2021, holding his beloved wife, Darlene’s hand. Together, they fought a courageous battle with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma for nearly five years. Born in Ann Arbor, MI to Dr. Lloyd and Ione Lemmen, who preceded him in death, it became obvious Jim… Continue Reading →

John Stoppels ’77

John Webb Stoppels June 8, 1954 July 10, 2021 John Stoppels John Webb Stoppels was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on June 8th, 1954, and died in Seattle, Washington, on July 10th, 2021, after a brief struggle with pancreatic cancer. John attended Hope College and graduated with a B.A. degree in philosophy from Northeastern University.… Continue Reading →

Gary Oster ’78

GARY OSTER was born in 1956 into a U.S. Navy family in Newport, Rhode Island. His brother Dan was born a year later. Soon, his father became a naval reservist and the Osters returned to their native Michigan. Gary grew up in Kentwood, near Grand Rapids. Gary and his brother Dan were raised in the… Continue Reading →

Andrew Begley ’78

Andrew “Andy” John Begley, 66, of Traverse City, passed away Aug. 21, 2021. He was born in Holland, June 28, 1955 to parents Phillip and Anne (Gary) Begley. Andy graduated from Traverse City Central High School, class of 1973. Andy was extremely athletic, being a member of TC Central’s first wrestling team. He was driven… Continue Reading →

Jill Clegg ’79

ill Lee Clegg, age 64, passed away September 6, 2021. She passed suddenly, but peacefully, at home. She is survived by her Father and Mother, Duane and Donna Clegg; her brothers, Chris (Catherine) Clegg; Scott (Kotomi) Clegg; Todd (Andrea) Clegg; nieces and nephews, Lane (Jacob) Current and Paige (Andrew) Klooster; Alex and Lauren Clegg; Kyle… Continue Reading →

Tim Brown ’73

The Hope College Alumni Association will present Distinguished Alumni Awards to Jalaa’ Abdelwahab ’97 and the Rev. Dr. Tim Brown ’73 during the first in-person Alumni Weekend celebration since 2019. Abdelwahab recently became Director of Vaccine Programmes in the Country Programme of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) in Geneva, Switzerland, following 10… Continue Reading →

Mike Ebbers ’73

Mike Ebbers ’73 and his wife Kathy completed the Great Loop in their retirement years. It is a 6,000 mile boat trip around the eastern third of the United States. It can be done in four to nine months, but it took them three years, from 2016 to 2019. The trip included waterways in Canada… Continue Reading →