Daniel Keith VanVolkinburg, 72, of Shelbyville, died Sunday, Jan. 19.
Dan was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and brother.
After graduating from Byron Center High School in 1970, Dan served as a staff sergeant in the Air National Guard. He married his high school sweetheart, Voni, in 1972 and they settled down in Byron Center.
He enjoyed craftsmanship and started his own construction business, working in that profession for nearly 40 years. His sons eventually would both work with him and now have their own construction business.
When Dan wasn’t working, he helped others with construction projects, donating his time. He liked to drive up north to Sleeping Bear Dunes or a quiet lake to hike and enjoy nature. For summer vacations, he took the family to Copper Harbor in the Upper Peninsula and sometimes even ventured into Canada to explore.
Dan enjoyed being outdoors fishing, blacksmithing, building guns, shooting guns and woodworking. Dan earned his pilot’s license when he turned 40, then he and his brother Bruce bought a small plane for short adventures.
Later in life, Dan would take his grandchildren out for breakfast before going to church, taking up at least one full row. Dan taught his grandkids how to blacksmith to make crosses and craft woodworking creations, or traveling on mission trips to the Dominican Republic, taking his granddaughter Jessica along.
Dan also taught Sunday school at Thornapple Valley Church for several years. He loved animals – especially horses. Their farm always had a variety of animals from horses and cows, to goats and chickens.
Dan battled Parkinson’s Disease for more than five years and never complained about his condition. As the disease slowly took away his ability to move, it was hard for Dan not to be able to do all the things he loved to do.
Surviving are his wife Yvonne (Adams); four children Mark VanVolkinburg, Michelle (Mike) Mass, Dawn (Rob) Larkin, Chad (fiancée, Kassie Williams); Brittany (fiancé, TJ), Tyler (Josie), Darrien, Devin, Macy, Jessica (Chris), Jacob, Brooke, Zachary, Emily, Danielle, Camden, Jayden; and great-grandchildren Jordan, McKenzie, Lucas, Scarlet, Helena, Gabriella, Violet, Ronin, Ranger, Addison, Lacey, Tommy; his siblings Bruce (Connie), Melody (Jeff), Jeff (Tammy), Kevin (Brenda); several cousins and dear friends.
He joins his parents Keith and Jean (Folmer) VanVolkinburg and his grandson, Lucas (Paige) VanVolkinburg.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, at Kubiak-Cook Funeral Home, 312 N. Main St., Wayland. Memorial services will be led by Pastor Jeff Arnett 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, at Thornapple Valley Church, 2750 M-43, Hastings, with family receiving guests from noon to 1 p.m. before the service.
Memorial contributions may be given the children’s ministry at Thornapple Valley Church of Hastings.
