John Vereeke

John David "Dave" Vereeke II, 81, of Gowen, went home to Heaven on Friday, January 29th, 2021, with his loving wife by his side, from Spectrum Health-United Hospital in Greenville. One of nine children born to John David & Julia Dena (Hendricksen) Vereeke, Dave was born on April 28th, 1939 in Grand Rapids. At the age of 19, he married his high school sweetheart, Judy Kay Jansma, on December 6, 1958 in Greenville and together they began their family, enjoying nearly 64 years together and raising three sons. Dave began his career in law enforcement with the City of Greenville Police Department before moving on the to Kent County Sheriff's Department, where he served as a road patrol deputy and was a member of the dive team, retiring in 1984. He was a hardworking man who instilled those same values into his three sons. Music was a passion of Dave's. Whether he was playing with his band, Thunder's Country, or singing happy birthday to his grandkids, a guitar was never far from his reach. Dave was a true cowboy with a love for horses, tractors, hunting and the outdoors. Dave was always up for a good time. If the garage door was open, or you saw smoke coming from the chimney, you knew he was out puttering in the barn, waiting for visitors to come have a beer with him. He was fondly known to many by, "Thunder", "Pa", or "Big Daddy". Surviving are his wife of 62 years, Judy Vereeke of Gowen; three sons, John Vereeke III of Gowen, Gary Vereeke of Gowen, and Chris & Dawn Vereeke of Alhambra, Illionis; grandchildren, Clint (fiance Jayla) Vereeke, Travis (fiance Alexis) Vereeke, Tara (fiance Austin Gasser) Vereeke, McKenna Vereeke and Cash Vereeke; great-grandchildren, Natalie, Collette and Oaklyn; sister, Nancy & Robert Allen; brother-in-law, Don & Alice Jansma; and many nieces, nephews, and countless friends. Cremation arrangements are entrusted to Christiansen's Michigan Cremation & Funeral Care, Greenville, (616) 754-5638. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John Vereeke, please visit our flower store.