Kenneth Stiemsma

STIEMSMA, Kenneth
of Portage Passed away on Tuesday, November 1, 2011. Ken was born September 16, 1935 in Columbia County, WI, a son of David and Mamie Vandergalien Stiemsma, and was a resident of the Portage area for many years. He was a truck driver for Alvan Motor Freight for over 29 years, and in his spare time, loved woodworking, fishing, sailing, bowling and going to casinos. On September 16, 1955, he married Dixie Lee Taft, who survives. He is also survived by their children, Ron Shane Stiemsma of Temperance, MI and Linda Kevin Weber of Portage; grandchildren, Josh Erin Stiemsma of South Haven, Steffanie Stiemsma of Midland and Brendon Weber of Portage; a great granddaughter, Kaylee Stiemsma of South Haven; his brothers, Jerry Bernice Stiemsma of Dowling and Dale Mary Stiemsma of Richland; a sister, Sylvia DeVries of Kalamazoo; many nieces and nephews. Ken was preceded in death by his parents; a brother and sister-in-law, Al Connie Stiemsma and a brother-in-law, Henry DeVries. A funeral service will be held on Saturday at 11:00 AM in the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Portage Chapel, 411 E. Centre Ave., with Rev. Mark Cryderman, officiating. Interment will follow in Mt. Ever-Rest Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Friday from 2-4 and 6-8 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan. The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses of Borgess Hospital for the care and concern they gave to Ken and his family.