William (Bill) Talsma died Monday at Serenity Village in Hastings at the age of 91.
Bill was the youngest of 14 children of George and Anna Talsma, born April 2, 1934, at the Talsma farm, corner of 122nd Avenue and 9th street, Shelbyville. He often shared how proud he was when his dad let him drive the horses and later the trailer. His first car was a 1942 Ford Coupe.
His first employment was at the Kalamazoo Stationery Company; then he enlisted in the Army, trained to navigate and drive armored tanks. He was honorably discharged and then began classes at Western Michigan University. To speed up his education, he attended summer classes at Michigan State University and Central Michigan University. When deciding his major, his professor advised him to major in math, Bill’s most difficult subject. Bill chose math!
Bill always understood struggling math students and helped them achieve their goals. One of Bill’s students received the coveted Michigan High School Math award.
Bill married Barbara Hybels. They eloped on July 20, 1957, in Angola, Ind. They shared many wonderful years together until her passing in 2004. Together they raised four children.
Bill drove the East Martin Christian Reformed Church student bus to Kalamazoo Christian High School; he attended classes at WMU and then drove the students home.
He demonstrated a passion for lifelong learning by earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from WMU. He taught math at Wyoming Rogers High School, where he spent his entire 29-year career. Bill also spent time as an adjunct professor at Grand Valley State University, where he taught nights and weekends for 16 years until he retired in 2006.
He was a census taker for a year; he spent summers teaching driver’s education and many summers working for Reith Riley Asphalt Paving as an estimator. Bill and Barb enjoyed the beautiful log home with a stone front fireplace that he built in the woods on Payne Lake Road. Entertaining cookouts and family reunions took place at the “cabin.”
He enjoyed watching their children and grandchildren play their favorite sports, including wrestling and often was score keeper. They enjoyed their many vacation trips to South Padre Island. While traveling abroad in Ireland, he kissed the Blarney Stone upside-down.
Bill was later blessed with Living Connections group and married JoAnne Woods in 2006. Bill and JoAnne had nearly 20 years together. He looked forward to lunch dates, playing many games (his favorite was Pegs and Jokers), with Charlie and Dorothy Shaffer, as well as special friends John and Mary Kleinbrink. One season he played senior Kentwood softball and made lifelong friends with his bowling buddies. He shot a hole-in-one at Hickory Ridge Golf Course on July 12, 2012.
He served the Christian Reformed Church as a deacon and an elder. Woodworking was his passion. He built many things for his church and others. Bill and Barb organized a Young at Heart group. He provided the lighted steeple for his church, which points towards the heavens. He worked with the Christian Reformed Church disaster response services rebuilding damage after hurricane Katrina.
He took a ride in a four-seat single engine plane at a Hastings Dawn Patrol breakfast. Bill and JoAnne enjoyed many trips. Happy memories include the Rose Bowl parade, mountain ranges, Alaska, New York City, Broadway musicals, dinner theaters and many mystery trips.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Barb; and 13 siblings. Bill is survived by his wife, JoAnne; son, Jeffrey (Christie) Talsma; daughters LouAnn (Bishop), Bonnie (Steve) Anderson, and Kathy Jo (Doug) Scoby; stepdaughter, LeAnne (Mitch) Wyant; special nephew, Budd (Kim) Hybels; 12 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Jan Talsma; former daughter-in-law, Kathy Sue Babcock; many nephews and nieces.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, April 3, at Kubiak-Cook Funeral Home (Wayland Chapel), 312 N. Main St. Services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, April 4, at Wayland Christian Reformed Church, 303 E. Elm St., with visitation from 10-10:45 a.m. prior to the service.
A luncheon immediately will followi the service prepared by the kitchen committee. Burial at Coman Cemetery, Yankee Springs for a committal service, Jerry Zandstra presiding.
