Pieter Geldhof

Pieter Eduard Geldhof, known to many as "Piet", died Saturday, December 16, 2006, after an illness of a few months. He died at home with his family surrounding him. Pieter was the only child of P. Eduard Geldhof and Marion Mayer Geldhof, born to them at the old St. Joseph Sanitarium on November 17, 1939. He resided in the Twin City area all if his life. Piet attended elementary school at the then four-room Lafayette School. After one year at Milton High School he went to the Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Following graduation he matriculated at Michigan State University from which he graduated in 1963 with a BA in Marketing and Distribution. On September 15, 1962, he married Carol Anne Moody in Birmingham, Michigan, who survives him. Following Piet's graduation from MSU they set up housekeeping in Benton Harbor. Piet worked for Whirlpool Corp. for 5 years and then struck out on his own with the purchase of Bridgman Supply Co. Over the years Piet owned and operated 5 hardware stores in Berrien County, leaving the business in 1997. He also established North Central Fasteners, a wholesale distributor of commercial fasteners, certified by the Nuclear Energy Commission to serve the construction of the Cook plant. While Piet loved his work and the people he could help he also loved to play. Over the years he owned a stock car team (Terhof) that competed on the USAC circuit, he skied in Aspen where he owned a house for a time, he loved boating, cruising the Great Lakes with his family as well as sailing with his good friend Bert Vossler up the St. Lawrence and out into the Atlantic. Fishing, both on Lake Michigan and fly fishing the streams of this state and Montana were a passion. He treasured the time he could spend at Big Moose Lake in the Adirondacks that he continued to visit as he had as a child with his parents. He was a part owner of a hunting lodge near Vanderbilt, 2000 acres of which is now part of the Pigeon River Country State Forest. Deer and duck seasons were always a greatly anticipated part of his year, this year being the first in 35 years that he didn't hunt. He traveled with his wife and family all over the world. He believed and lived as though every moment counted. Piet was a member of the St. Joseph and Benton Harbor Rotary Club and was very proud to be a Paul Harris Fellow. He was also a long-time member of Point O Woods Golf and Country Club as well as a dedicated supporter of Sarrett Nature Center and of Trout Unlimited. He was a former member of the Young Presidents Organization and worked on several Habitat for Humanity projects, both here and the last in Slidell, LA in 2005. He enjoyed his affiliation with the Berrien County Woodworkers Guild as in his retirement he pursued furniture building. Piet was also an active member of the First Congregational Church UCC in ST. Joseph. His most important role was as father to three children who survive him, Kirstin Anne Geldhof, Pieter Eduard III (Sally) and Elizabeth Mayer Geldhof. Three grandchildren, Pieter Eduard Geldhof IV, Max William Geldhof and Ellie Britt Geldhof, also survive him. Visitation with the family will be from 4 to 7 pm on Tuesday, December 19th, at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd St. Joseph The memorial service will be on Wednesday, December 20th at 3:00 pm at the First Congregational Church, 2001 Niles Ave, St. Joseph; with Rev. Dr. Bob Braman. Memorials may be made to First Congregational Church or to Sarrett Nature Center. Those wishing to send a condolence or share a memory online may do at www.starks-menchinger.com