Jeffrey Muiderman ’83

Jeffrey Muiderman ’83
Our beautiful husband, brother, son, uncle and friend Jeff Muiderman died in a vehicle accident, due to a medically related event, on October 1, 2018. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on August 23, 1961, Jeff moved to Oregon in 1984, planning to attend law school and become an environmental lawyer. He loved the outdoors, having grown up roaming the Carlton Street woods, fishing in Lake Michigan, and rowing through the marshes of the Black River when studying birds as part of his Bachelor’s degree from Hope College. Jeff didn’t take to studying law, but he absolutely took to living in Oregon, and he deeply loved Eugene. A few months into 1985, he met Geriann Walker, and one fateful evening he gave her an amazing, life changing kiss. They moved in together three days later, and began a partnership based on a love so deep, so true, so powerful and open, that it provided strength and inspiration to all who witnessed their bond. Jeff went back to school, studying literary criticism and folkloric film and earning a Master’s degree. He was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1988, a disease that he managed with grace, dignity, focused perseverence, and strength. He re-invented himself as a Tai Chi practitioner and teacher, and he became a licensed massage therapist, healing himself through healing others. He was tall and strong, and his body stayed that way, even though MS began to rob him of his ability to stand and walk. In the early ‘90s Jeff fell in love with the Shona music of Zimbabwe and became part of the Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center playing marimba, mbira and his beloved hosho. He also became a serious student of Vajrayana Tibetan Buddhism and a member of the Kagyu Dakshang Chuling Meditation and Study Center. He was committed to the Dharma, and loved his teachers Lama Tsang Tsing, Lama Annie Kunzang, Lama Sonam and Lama Yangchen. He was supported and uplifted by the dear friends in his music, massage, and meditation communities; friends who went above and beyond to make sure Jeff could fully participate in making music and living an active, meaningful life. Jeff touched the world with his quick mind, both scientific and poetic. With his singular percipience. With his words uniquely articulate. With his hands as a healer. With his heart huge with empathy. With his music. By telling regularly those he loved that he loved us. He was truly the ultimate optimist, and whether or not his Ducks, Blazers, or Seahawks were winning or losing he would always say, “It’s great to be us!”. When you think of Jeff, listen for the steady beat of his hosho, for the screech of a red-tailed hawk overhead, and stop to say “I love you”. Jeff never took a day for granted, he accepted and embraced the idea of impermanence, praying daily for the end to the suffering of all beings. He fully loved, and he fully LIVED. There are no words to express how much we will miss his huge smile, big blue eyes, and radiant being. Jeff is survived by his wife Geriann, his many dear friends and both his Muiderman and Walker families: his parents, Tony and Elly, his brother Kevin (North Dakota) and his wife Amy, his brother Erik, and his sister Julie (Portland) and her husband Cacy Celver; Geriann’s mother Adeline, her brothers Gaylord, Rick (Beaverton) and his wife Lauren Smith, and Cliff (Toledo), and her sister Leslie Goudie (Nevada) and her husband Greg, as well as dearly cherished nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father-in-law Rich Walker, whom he loved dearly—Jeff practiced Qigong every Wednesday with Rich during the last year of Rich’s life.