Samuel E. Greydanus Jr., 92, of Saugatuck passed away on Feb. 14, 2017.
Born June 2, 1924, in Paterson, N.J., he attended Eastern Christian Academy while working for his father's surveying company.
He served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1945. He landed on Utah Beach on D-Day as a member of the Ninth Signal Company. He was engaged in battles in Normandy, the Hurtgen Forest, the Ardennes, the Battle of the Bulge and the Remagen Bridge. His unit was one of the first to enter the concentration camp at Nordhausen, Germany.
He attended Calvin College, graduate school at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, the University of Rochester, the University of Washington (Seattle), and Queens College, Kingston Ontario.
He taught at Cannonsburg, Oakdale Christian, Holland Christian High School, Calvin College and at the Saugatuck Dunes Correctional Facility.
He was a long time member of Gibson Christian Reformed Church, where he served as elder, deacon and Sunday school teacher. He was the pitcher for the Gibson softball team well into his 70s.
He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Elsie; eight children, Bonnie of Klaidepea, Lithuania, Sam and Susan of Holland, John and Marty of Oregon, Mark of Beverly Hills, Calif., Tim and Sarah of Colorado Springs, Colo., James and Judy of Oregon, Dave and Melissa of Saugatuck and Dale and Kelly of Fennville; 18 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Nellie; and his siblings, Fran, Neil, John, Pearl and Claire, all of New Jersey.
Sam loved his Lord, his family, his church, nature in all of its glory, history, politics, and baseball, especially the New York Yankees.
Visitation will be Friday, Feb. 24, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Langeland-Sterenberg Funeral Home, 315 E. 16th St., Holland. Funeral services with military honors will be Saturday, Feb. 25, at 11 a.m. at Gibson Christian Reformed Church, 6486 140th Ave, Holland, MI 49423. Burial will be in Gibson Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Resthaven Care Center, Holland Christian Schools, or Calvin College.
Arrangements are being provided by Langeland-Sterenberg and Yntema Funeral Homes, www.langelandsterenberg.com.
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