Richard Peter Heslinga

HESLINGA, Richard Peter
Born August 29, 1951
Deceased August 25, 2012 God graciously took Rich Heslinga home to Himself on August 25, 2012. The day of his death marked the 40th wedding anniversary of Rich and his wife, Barb, and God was indeed faithful every day of their life together. After a difficult eighteen months with cancer, Rich's family is so thankful that he was able to pass away peacefully at home. Rich was born August 29, 1951 in Chicago to Ben and Martha Heslinga. He and his brother Larry, and sister, Jan, all graduated from Timothy Christian High School. He majored in Math and Business/Economics at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, where he met and married Barb. He then earned an MBA from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Rich and Barb moved to Kalamazoo in 1976, and Rich worked as a CPA at Ernst & Ernst. In 1981, Rich became VP of Finance at Clausing Industrial. For over 30 years, his colleagues knew him as a man who not only did his job well and made prudent financial decisions but also cared about employees and their families, fought to save jobs, and agonized to do what was right and best for the people who made up the company. Most important to Rich was modeling a life of integrity and compassion for his children. He and Barb raised their three children, Peter, Michael, and Jane, to know the Lord and invest in the people around them. Rich served on the board for the Kalamazoo Christian School Association and for Camp Roger. For 35 years, the Heslingas have been part of the larger family of Third Christian Reformed Church in Kalamazoo, where Rich has served on council, loved singing in the choir, led and been involved in many other activities, and formed countless deep and lasting friendships. It is fitting that Rich's funeral, a celebration of his life and of God's faithfulness, will be held on his birthday. It is an opportunity to remember a solid, dependable, welcoming man - a man who loved the Lord and loved his family and lived a life marked by the Gospel. Rich was preceded in death by his father, Benjamin Heslinga. He will be missed by his wife, Barbara VanStempvoort; son Peter, daughter-in-law Susan, and granddaughter Lydia; son Michael and daughter-in-law Gillian; daughter Jane and son-in-law Ben Schaefer; mother Martha Davids; brother Larry and sister-in-law Barb; sister Jan and brother-in-law Ken VanByssum; several nieces and nephews, grandnieces and nephews; many other family; and countless friends. Visitation will be Tuesday evening, August 28, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Westside Chapel, 3926 South 9th Street. A funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 29, at Third Christian Reformed Church, 2400 Winchell Ave. The family will receive visitors for an hour before the service, and those who are able are invited to join the family for a luncheon immediately following the service. Burial at Hill Cemetery in Oshtemo Township will follow the luncheon. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Rich's memory may be directed to the Kalamazoo Christian School Association.