Jack Gordon Marema, 96, died December 18, 2024, in Holland, Michigan, after a long life centered on family, faith, and commitment to serving others.
Jack was born in Grand Rapids in 1928 to John and Hilda Marema. His father co-owned Marema Garage on Grandville Avenue (now César E. Chávez Avenue), and Jack grew up pumping gas and helping out around the garage. Jack lived on Martindale Drive in Wyoming, Michigan, and attended Lee High School, where he played baseball, football, and basketball and ran track.
After high school, Jack became the first person in his immediate family to attend college when he enrolled at Hope. Jack’s athletic interests continued at Hope, where he lettered in baseball and basketball. During the summer, he also played in the Grand Rapids industrial baseball league while working in the lumber department at Kelvinator. Upon graduation from Hope in 1950, he taught high school social studies in McBain. In 1951, he wed Nancylee Corp, whom he met at Hope. The couple were married for 65 years until Nancy’s death in 2016.
After a two-year stint in the U.S. Army, Jack went to graduate school on the GI Bill and earned a master’s degree in education at Western Michigan College of Education (now Western Michigan University) while Nancy taught in the Galesburg school system. Jack later taught at Galesburg High School and helped with the boys’ athletic teams.
In 1962, Jack and Nancy accepted an appointment from the Reformed Church in America mission board to teach at Annville Institute, a settlement school in the Appalachian foothills of Eastern Kentucky. That decision changed the course of their lives, resulting in a deep love for the mountain region and lifelong friendships with Annville students and staff. At Annville, Jack taught social studies and served as guidance counselor. He also coached the men’s junior varsity basketball team.
In 1974, Jack and Nancy moved to Berea, Kentucky, where Jack worked in administration at Berea College. He retired in 1992 as director of financial aid.
In retirement, Jack and Nancy traveled extensively, enjoying visits with their children and grandchildren. Jack continued to play church-league softball well into his 60s and helped at the scorer’s table for the Berea College men’s basketball team.
In 2010, Jack and Nancy moved back to Michigan after 48 years in Kentucky. In Holland, they enjoyed spending time with family, college friends, and the many former Annville Institute staff who were in the area.
In the final two years of his life, Jack was lovingly cared for by the staff of Appledorn South Assisted Living in Holland.
Jack is survived by his children: Sally Kay Hoekstra (Dave Hoekstra) of Holland; Jacquelyn Lee Broek Marema (Ton Broek) of Santpoort Noord, Netherlands; Timothy John Marema (Liz McGeachy) of Norris, Tennessee; and foster daughter Carol Rudicill (Jim Rudicill). He is also survived by seven grandchildren: Jeremy Hoekstra (Allie Hoekstra), Cara Maat (David Maat), Stephan Broek, Christopher Broek (Gina Plug), Carolina Sudmeier Broek (Daniel Sudmeier), Walker Marema (Rachel Cochran), and Graham Marema. He is also survived by two great-grandchildren, Jonny Maat and Caleb Maat, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Jack was serious minded about the big stuff in life, but his family and friends will also remember how he loved to make people laugh with jokes and puns. And he liked to share stories about the less consequential events in his life and offer sports advice to anyone who would listen. Here are just a few examples:
– His long career in recreational league softball was predicated on a promise to Nancy that he would not slide into base after he turned 60.
– He could throw a knuckleball a lot better than his son could catch one.
– He played bass drum on radio broadcasts of the Children’s Bible Hour in Grand Rapids with “Uncle” Mel Johnson in the early 1940s.
– He set up a loudspeaker and record player on a timer in the dome of the Annville school building so the campus could awaken to the angelic sound of chimes in the morning.
– He discontinued the practice after the timer misfired and he had to scramble up three flights of stairs and a ladder in the middle of the night to silence the chimes.
– He never missed the opportunity to tell anyone who would listen that the best time to go to the dentist is “tooth hurty.”
– He was proud of his ties and liked to prompt people to ask so he could tell a story about where he bought particular ones. He did the same with his watch, which his parents gave him for high school graduation in 1946. It was still running at the time of his death.
– As an Army Intelligence enlisted man, he attended a field hearing of the congressional investigation into alleged communist activities during the McArthy era. He said it was boring.
– He was extremely proud that all of his grandchildren received college degrees.
– He never watched a basketball game without commenting that “you’ve got to hit your free throws.”
A visitation will take place on Sunday, December 22nd from 5-7pm at Dykstra Funeral Home – Mulder Chapel ,188 W 32nd Street, Holland. A memorial service will take place at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Berea College, CPO 2216, Berea, KY 40404
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