William Rutgers "Bill" Venhuizen

1949 - 2024

William "Bill" Rutgers Venhuizen, 75, of Spring Lake, passed away unexpectedly from sudden cardiac arrest at his home on May 5, 2024. He was born February 23, 1949, in Holland, Michigan, to William Henry and Cleo May (Rutgers) Venhuizen.

Bill graduated from Holland High School and earned his Mechanical Engineering degree at Western Michigan University. He proudly served in the Army National Guard before starting his career at Amway Corporation.

For nearly 30 years, Bill worked as an engineer, where he made significant contributions to the manufacturing, catalog, and distribution industry. His leadership, commitment to hard work and dedication were evident in his retirement in 1999 as Senior Manager of Catalog Distribution. After retiring, he ventured into real estate development and property management, further showcasing his versatility and determination.

Bill loved adventure and was always searching for new experiences. He enjoyed spending time on the water and participated in many Great Lakes and Atlantic Ocean sailing races and regattas. In 2012, he fulfilled his dream of sailing the TransAtlantic ARC on Sundowner II.

His love for adventure extended to his family, as they enjoyed traveling with the family RV and vacationing in Aspen and Marco Island. Bill loved traveling abroad to Europe, most recently to Greece and Italy. Every summer, he and Stacie traveled to Leland to enjoy the beauty of Lake Leelanau.

Bill has left behind a profound legacy of love and cherished memories. He is survived by his wife, Stacie (Stevens) Venhuizen of Spring Lake, and his three beautiful daughters: Jill (Sean) Webb of Chicago, Illinois, Heidi (Mark) Kremer of Spring Lake, and Brooke (Daniel Casebolt) Roetman of Spring Lake. His seven grandchildren, Madeline Kremer, Morgan Webb, Andrew Kremer, Katie Webb, Kelly Webb, Connor Webb, and Paige Roetman, who all brought him immense pride and joy. He is also survived by the mother of his children, Vicki (Schaftenaar) Venhuizen of Cascade; his sister Kristi (Tom) Van Howe of Saugatuck, his twin brother Robert Venhuizen of Columbia; his sister-in-law Kellie (Jack) DeLeeuw of Hudsonville, along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and his dog Scarlett Ribbons. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Bill (2004) and Cleo (2022) Venhuizen.

A Celebration of a Life Well-Lived will be held at noon on Monday, May 13, 2024, at Tanglefoot Park Pavilion, 312 W. Exchange Street, Spring Lake, MI. The service will be officiated by Rev. Peter Yoshonis, with Military Rites under the Charles A Conklin American Legion Post #28 Honor Guard. Friends are invited to meet the family at 10:30 a.m. for visitation before the service.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Momentum Center in Grand Haven, the Charles A Conklin American Legion Post #28 in Grand Haven, or The Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Share memories with the family at their online guest book at www.sytsemafh.com