Thomas Lee Tuinstra, 81, of Hopkins, died Tuesday, Dec. 28, at his home.
Born Sept. 17, 1940, in Hopkins, he was the son of the late Wiebe and Clazina (VanDussen) Tuinstra.
Tuinstra was retired from General Motors following more than 33 years of employment. His long career helped to finance his passion for farming and his love of flower and vegetable gardening, including his two-acre tomato farm.
He was an avid outdoorsman who loved fishing and hunting and was a member of the National Rifle Association. He also enjoyed woodworking.
Tuinstra was a longtime, active member of East Martin Christian Reformed Church.
Surviving are his children, Wiebe Tuinstra, Sharon (Keith) Herring, Sandra (Rick) Spaman and Calvin (Karen) Tuinstra; siblings, Ira Tuinstra, Charlene Power and Mary Lou (Tom) Stadt; grandchildren, Matt, Katelyn, Sheri and Alex; five great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Henry Tuinstra; stepbrother, David Taylor; grandchildren, Cassidy Spaman and Jimmy Herring; and foster parents, Leo and Bernadine Anderson.
The family will receive friends at East Martin Christian Reformed Church, 1782 5th St., Martin, from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec, 31. A funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 1, at the church, with visitation beginning at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in East Martin Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Smile Train (donate.smiletrain.org), 633 Third Avenue, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10017 or East Martin Christian School (eastmartin.org/giving), 516 118th Ave., Martin, MI 49070.
