Abraham deVries ’50

The Reverend Abraham deVries, of Canton, Michigan, passed away on Monday April 20th, 2020 at age of 93, due to complications associated with Covid-19.

Abe was born December 21st in Maurice, Iowa to Gabe and Corneli (Van Ketel) deVries. He was inducted into the U.S Army serving as a medic until 1946. He attended Hope College where he met his late wife, Jeanne Toussaint and was married on June 23rd, 1951. He also attended University of Chicago Medical School where he was called into the ministry by our Lord. He graduated from Western Theological Seminary and was ordained in 1953. He faithfully served churches of the Reformed Church of America in Indiana, Wisconsin, New York, Michigan and Ohio and United Presbyterian churches in Wisconsin and Minnesota. His church ministry spanned over 50 years of service to the Lord and he continued, until recently, by leading services and bible studies in his retirement home in Canton MI. Abe was known as a faithful and compassionate man of God to all the lives he touched.

Abe loved and continually prayed for his family.  As a devoted husband, father and grandfather, he was thrilled to have the privilege to baptize both his children, marry his son, baptize and marry his grandsons and baptize his great-grandchildren.  His example instilled a faithful love of God in his family that will never be forgotten!

Abe is survived by his son, James deVries and daughter-in-law Janel of Canton, MI, three grandsons John, Jacob and wife Danielle, James and wife Laura, four great grandchildren, his sister Grace (Van Beveran) of Glen Ellyn, IL, his brother William deVries of Miami, FL along with many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Gabe and Corneli, his brother Raymond, his sisters Katherine and Mary, his wife Jeanne (Toussaint) in 2009, and their beloved daughter Laura Jeanne in 1953.