Rev. Dr. Melvin Dale Hugen, 93, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, passed away peacefully on Friday, March 28, 2025, at the Raybrook Campus of Holland Home.
Melvin was born April 28, 1931, a twin to sister Milly. Mel and Milly had four older brothers making them the 5th & 6th children of Dick and Wilhelmina (Grootveld) Hugen. The family farm was in Leighton, near Pella, Iowa. He graduated from high school and attended Calvin College. Melvin was called to the ministry and after graduating from Calvin College and also Calvin Seminary, he received his doctorate from the Free University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Melvin received a pastoral call to Richton Park CRC, South of Chicago, then at Eastern Avenue CRC in Grand Rapids, and finally was the founding pastor of Honolulu CRC on Oahu, Hawaii. In 1970, Melvin then was called to serve as a professor at Calvin Seminary. He taught at Calvin Seminary for 28 years before retiring in 1998. Melvin was a co-founder of the Timothy Institute of Calvin Seminary, training and equipping African Pastors in Kenya and East Africa.
Melvin met a lovely young woman, Sylvia Van Baren, as a senior at Calvin College. Eventually Mel and Sylvia married on May 28, 1954, in South Holland, Illinois, and they raised four children together. Mel and Sylvia are members of La Grave Avenue Christian Reformed Church and have been residents of Raybrook Campus of Holland Home in recent years.
Mel is survived by his wife of 71 years, Sylvia, their children: Beth Steiner, Mark Hugen and Cathy Bills, Brian and Rose Hugen, Joel and Kandi Hugen; 10 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, in-laws: Gise and Carolyn Van Baren, Anna Mae Nymeyer, Eileen Van Baren, and many extended family and friends.
A funeral service will be held at 12:00 noon EST, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in the Chapel at Raybrook, 2121 Raybrook SE, Grand Rapids MI 49546. Visitation will be 10:30-11:45 AM EST, prior to the service at Raybrook. Memorial donations may be made to the Timothy Institute or Holland Home.
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