Harvey Laman ’50

Harvey M. Laman, 96, of Holland, passed away peacefully on October 14, 2020, at his home in Holland.

Harvey was born o n J u n e 14, 1924, in Kalamazoo Michigan to Hazel (Mouw) and Benjamin Laman.

He was predeceased by his wife of 67 years, Maxine ( Gerritsen) Laman.

Harvey’s early years were spent living with his family in the church parsonage in Kalamazoo, where his father presided as pastor of the Bethany Reformed Church of Kalamazoo. Upon his father’s death, his mother moved the family to Holland to be closer to family, so Harvey enrolled in the Holland Public Schools. After Holland High School and being called to the US Army, Harvey attended Hope College to pursue a career in education. He soon learned that he had an interest in teaching Industrial Arts, so he transferred to Western Michigan University to complete his degree there, and then went on to earn his Masters in Industrial Education from the University of Michigan and took advanced courses at Eastern Michigan University.

After starting his teaching career in Bay Ci ty, Harvey married Maxine Gerritsen of Holland and took a teaching position in Kalamazoo and then with Holland Public Schools when an Industrial Arts position became available. Harvey taught for many years, and then was asked to serve as Assistant Principal and later Principal of the new Holland West Middle School.

Harvey also gave back to the community, where he was instrumental in the creation of the Holland Education Association as well as serving on the board of the Holland Human Relations Commission, the Michigan Association of Re t i r ed School Personnel and in the consistory of First Reformed Church.

Harvey was a dedicated father and with his wife Maxine raised three children and attended many band concerts, basketball games and related activities for the children. He also bought the family a boat or two and taught the kids how to fish and water ski, often up at a cottage at Glen Lake that they all enjoyed.

He is survived by his daughter, Nancy ( Dean) Snoek, of Holland; sons, Mark ( Sandra) Laman of Boca Raton, Florida, and James ( Mary) Laman of Holland; grandchildren, Jacklyn, Benjamin and Zachary Snoek, Erika, Rachel and Grant Laman and Amanda ( Bryan) Huisman, Alexandra ( Michael) Moore and Anastasia Laman, as well as great- grandchildren, Ayden and Westley Huisman.

He was preceded in death by his sisters, Esther ( Max Flowerday) and Beatrice ( Verne Serne), and brother, Howard (Marilyn) Laman.