Mr. Peter Balkema - Died Thursday evening, March 21, 2002. Peter was born May 12, 1918 in Kalamazoo, MI, the son of Ralph and Gertrude (Takens) Balkema and was a lifelong resident here. Prior to his retirement, he was owner/operator of Balkema, Inc. until he sold his share of the business to his brothers. On January 11, 1941, he was united in marriage to Marie VanderRoest, who survives. Also surviving are 4 daughters and 1 son, Trudy (Ed) Powless of Otsego, Henry (Anne) Balkema of Galesburg, Donna (Marinus) DenHarder of Otsego, Jane (Vernon) Geschwendt of Gull Lake and Christina (David) Pease of Scotts; 16 grandchildren; several greatgrand-children; 4 sisters and 3 brothers, Louwina (Jelke) Huttinga of Montana, Henry (Josephine) Balkema, Joe (Margarete) Balkema, Bertha Balkema, Lena Balkema, all of Kalamazoo, John (Dorothy) Balkema of Scotts and Grace (Bernard) Bruining of Hudsonville; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a sister Jennie DeHaan, a brother Ralph (Mina) Balkema and a brother-in-law Jacob DeHaan. Services will be held at 11:00 o'clock Monday at the Covenant United Reformed Church, 3724 Lovers Lane with the Rev. Mark Mingar of the Calvary Community Church of Plainwell officiating. Interment in Maple Grove Cemetery, Comstock Township. Friends may meet the family today and Sunday from 2-4 & 6-8 pm
at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes Memorial Chapel 622 S. Burdick St. 343-1508 Memorial contributions may be made to Rose Arbor Hospice or the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission. source: Kalamazoo Gazette Mar 23, 2002 (submitted by a volunteer, not a family member)