Robert
Robert Wolthuis
Bob died suddenly Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at his home in Otsego.
He was born August 27, 1951 in Kalamazoo the son of John and Mildred (Zidell) Wolthuis. Bob served his country in the US Navy during the Vietnam War. For over 20 years he was a journeyman for Kalamazoo Sheet Metal Company and then later W. Soule. On October 30, 1975 in Kalamazoo he married Susan Cotcher. Bob was a hardworking man who loved horses and spoiling his grandchildren. He was very family oriented and went out of his way to keep his family his number one priority. He was active in the lives of his children and had coached many softball and basketball teams during their school years. Bob had a very big heart and went out of his way without being asked to help anyone in need.
Surviving are his wife, Susan; his children, Adrienne (Dan) Ranger and Christopher Wolthuis; his grandchildren, Olivia, Aidan and Rylee Ranger and Evelyn, Mary, and Adelle Wolthuis; and his siblings, Jim, Bill, Steve, Judy and Diane. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Daniel.
Friends may visit with Bob’s family at the First Congregational Church of Otsego on Monday, December 8, 2014 starting at 10:00 A.M. until the time of the Memorial Service at 11:00 A.M. with Pastor Darin Youngs officiating.
Contributions in memory of Bob may be made to the
Allegan County Chapter of the Child Evangelism Fellowship
or to
Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan
.
Messages of condolence may be posted at www.
WinkelFuneralHome.
com
Offer Condolence for the family of Robert Wolthuis
Condolence Messages
Joanne Krcatovich
December 3, 2014 at 5:25 pm
Sue & family,
I’m so sorry to hear Bob has passed. He has many friends at Perrigo that will truly miss him. Bob shared many stories of you his “honey buns” , children and grandchildren. Wonderful person, my heart goes out to you all . God Bless
Reply
Tammi Lamper
December 3, 2014 at 6:37 pm
a man with so many words and stories.
Always a friend no matter what he had going on. Loved his sense of humor and his ability to fix and repair anything. Rip Bob
God will love having you mend to those pearly gates
Reply
Deana Vickery Hostetler
December 3, 2014 at 7:07 pm
I am so sorry for your loss. Bob was such a wonderful man. We would call Bob all the time when we needed help at Perrigo. Sue I know you have heard Bob talk about Sadie, I just talked to her in California and she said to make sure I told you how sorry she is for your loss and she sends her prayers to you and the family. Please know we are keeping you and the family in our thoughts and prayers. Gods Blessing to all.
Reply
Arch & Sandy Woodstock
December 3, 2014 at 7:28 pm
Saddened to hear of Bob’s passing, know that he knew Christ as his Savior and now shares the Joys that only Heaven can bring.
Reply
Aaron and Rachel
December 3, 2014 at 8:32 pm
Aunt Susie, Adrienne, Dan, Chris,
We are very sorry for the loss of Uncle Bob, we will miss him very much. Uncle Bob was a very kind, caring, and generous person. He loved you all very much. For those who knew him or were lucky enough to have him as an Uncle, as we were, we will never forget what a wonderful person he was. We love you and all of you are in our thoughts each day.
Reply
Connie Nelson
December 3, 2014 at 8:57 pm
May the memories provide you comfort and The Lord provide you strength during this time. I am so sorry for your loss….
Reply
Tom Wright
December 4, 2014 at 6:25 am
I first met Bob over 20 years ago when he worked for KSM and did our metal fab work for us at Perrigo. He used to come out to the racetrack every once in a while and hang out too. This past winter he came to my house and gave me a hand a couple times building a pole barn.
And practically every time i ever saw him he would talk about his family. Years ago it was his wife and kids and then it was all about the grandkids. He loved you all so much! We used to laugh when i first met him as to whether or not Sue actually had a real name because he always referred to her as “My sweetie” or “honey buns”.
He left a positive lasting impression on everyone he met and will be missed by many. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sue and his family.
Tom & Barb Wright
Reply
Diane Long
December 4, 2014 at 7:02 am
Sue & family,
Our family was so blessed to have Bob in our lives. We only have to look around our home to remember Bob. Meeting Bob at work brought Sue into our lives & that made the blessing double. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Mike, Diane & Molly Long
Reply
Brad Whitehouse
December 4, 2014 at 9:06 am
I’m very sorry to hear this heartbreaking news. My heart goes out to you, Adrienne and Chris. I have many fond memories of Bob, including hearing him joke around with all of us at your house all those years ago, and all those basketballs he bought for the team. You’re in my thoughts.
Reply
Anne VanTongeren
December 4, 2014 at 11:19 am
I did not know Bob but I saw the impact he made on his family, especially his grandchildren. May the good memories bring you comfort in the days ahead.
Reply
Kari Simmons
December 4, 2014 at 12:44 pm
Adrienne & Family, I am so sorry for your loss. Please know we are thinking of you all and praying for God’s comfort during this difficult time. ~Aaron & Kari Simmons
Reply
Chip & Sue
December 4, 2014 at 5:47 pm
Sue & Family
Words cannot begin to express the sorrow we felt and will continue to feel for a long time at the loss of a very special and lifetime friend. Bob will always be missed. Your family will continue to be in our hearts and prayers and you know we will always be there for you. Distance might have separated us for a time, but our hearts are always with you. We love you all.
Chip & Sue
Reply
Rick Steinke
December 4, 2014 at 6:47 pm
I will always remember Bob.He was the go to man at perrigo whenever you needed something welded or fabricated.He always had a smile on his face and was kind.I remember asking him where he learned to weld so good and he said to me I was a good grinder before I was a good welder .some how I don’t know if I believed him on that one .My thoughts and prayers go out to his family He will be truly missed by many
Reply
Don Weyenberg
December 4, 2014 at 7:06 pm
Sue, I will miss seeing the two of you and the grandkids at the Fly Inn. One of the last times I saw you two I had the chance to tell him personally what a wonderful man he was. I am glad I did not shy away from that. I will miss his hand shake and the way he would say “Don” when we would meet. May God comfort you.
Reply
Kimberly Sunlin Shannon
December 4, 2014 at 7:11 pm
Sue and family,
The Wolhuis’ home was a place I spent a lot of time as a child. I grew up with Adrienne and Chris. I have very fond memories of staying the night with Adrienne and her Dad (Bob) being so kind, warm, and friendly. My thoughts and prayers are with you that your memories will fill the place I know a void will be without him. It is good to know you will all be joined in Heaven again. Until that time, hold on to those memories tightly.
Reply
Karen Warden
December 4, 2014 at 8:57 pm
Adrienne and Family,
So sorry for your loss. May you find comfort and strength in all the wonderful memories of your father. God bless all of you and may he guide you through this time of loss.
Karen
Reply
Ken and Cindy Snyder
December 5, 2014 at 1:50 pm
Sue, Adrienne and Chris: We are praying for peace and strength for you all. Bob loved to help and was so kind to Karen helping her the last 2 yrs due to loss of Lee. Bob loved home made pies and goodies & willing to help anyone. What a wonderful example of “Serving” one another that he has been to you. I go by your house each day & promise to stop in and see you Sue in the days ahead.
Reply
Steve Hasper
December 5, 2014 at 2:04 pm
Dear Sue and kids,
What wonderful memories we have of your home, family, and faith. Bob was a wonderful friend! Our prayers are for you. May the Lord be close to you and the peace of Christ. Philippians 4:7.
Reply
Dave & Trudy Sumner
December 5, 2014 at 3:17 pm
I have known Bob for well over 25 years, from working at Perrigo together. As anyone that met Bob would say, “I never saw Bob without a smile”.
I don’t ever remember Bob telling anyone “no” or I don’t have time.
I have kept in touch with Bob by phone since he retired, and he always boasted about being his grandkids “Mr. Mom”:).
All of Bobs family are in our thoughts and prayers.
May God bless,
Dave and Trudy
Reply
Dave and Trudy Sumner
December 5, 2014 at 4:13 pm
I met Bob over 25 years ago while working at Perrigo. Bob and I worked together on many projects, up until he retired. I don’t ever recall seeing Bob without a smile on his face and something to say that would make me laugh.
I have kept in contact with Bob by phone since he retired and haven’t spoke with him for a while now but, I can still hear his laugh and see his face, after knowing him for so long.
Bob will be missed, even though it seems a long time since I have seen him.
Our prayers and thoughts go out to the entire family.
May god bless and be with you,
Dave and Trudy
Reply
David & Carol Holtzhouse
December 6, 2014 at 6:46 am
Sue and family,
What a shock to hear of Bob’s home-going. We have SO MANY wonderful memories of time spent with you two and your family. You guys were always such good friends and were of special help to us in many times of need. Know that our prayers are with you and will be in the days to come.
David & Carol
Reply
Al & Jan Simmons
December 8, 2014 at 1:28 pm
Adrienne & Dan, Sue & Chris:
We are so sorry for your loss. You are in our thoughts and will all be in our prayers.
Al & Jan
Reply
Doug and Nancy Hopkins
December 11, 2014 at 8:21 am
Sue and family,
We are so sorry for your loss. What a great person Bob was. We will be praying for you .
Doug and Nancy Hopkins
Reply
Evelyn Wolthuis
June 28, 2018 at 8:18 pm
Bob was my grandfather. He was such an amazing man, and I miss him so much. I have so many fond memories of him, especially of when we’d be at the dinner table, and he would always ask when I’d be getting my drivers license. He’d say he’d get me a car to drive around, even when I was only 11 or younger at the time. He was so sweet and loving, and now that the time has come for me to start drivers training, I will be thinking of him a lot as I go through this process. I love you, grandpa, and I will always be thinking of you. Love, Evie.
Reply
Leave a Condolence
Cancel reply
Please share your message of condolence with the family, It will be visible to the public but your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked
*
Comment
*
Name
*
Email
*
Δ
Obituary Notification Service
Enter your email address if you would like to be notified when a new obituary notice is posted:
Search Obituaries
How do I send a condolence
At the bottom of this page, you will find a condolence form. You will need to fill out some basic information prior to typing your message. (We will not share your e-mail address with anyone) Once you are finished, simply click the submit condolence button. The condolence will be approved before it is published to the web site.
Share This Obituary
Your Name
*
Your Email
*
Their Name
*
Their Email
*
Message
CAPTCHA
Phone
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Δ
He was born August 27, 1951 in Kalamazoo the son of John and Mildred (Zidell) Wolthuis. Bob served his country in the US Navy during the Vietnam War. For over 20 years he was a journeyman for Kalamazoo Sheet Metal Company and then later W. Soule. On October 30, 1975 in Kalamazoo he married Susan Cotcher. Bob was a hardworking man who loved horses and spoiling his grandchildren. He was very family oriented and went out of his way to keep his family his number one priority. He was active in the lives of his children and had coached many softball and basketball teams during their school years. Bob had a very big heart and went out of his way without being asked to help anyone in need.
Surviving are his wife, Susan; his children, Adrienne (Dan) Ranger and Christopher Wolthuis; his grandchildren, Olivia, Aidan and Rylee Ranger and Evelyn, Mary, and Adelle Wolthuis; and his siblings, Jim, Bill, Steve, Judy and Diane. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Daniel.
Friends may visit with Bob’s family at the First Congregational Church of Otsego on Monday, December 8, 2014 starting at 10:00 A.M. until the time of the Memorial Service at 11:00 A.M. with Pastor Darin Youngs officiating.
Contributions in memory of Bob may be made to the
Allegan County Chapter of the Child Evangelism Fellowship
or to
Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan
.
Messages of condolence may be posted at www.
WinkelFuneralHome.
com
Offer Condolence for the family of Robert Wolthuis
Condolence Messages
Joanne Krcatovich
December 3, 2014 at 5:25 pm
Sue & family,
I’m so sorry to hear Bob has passed. He has many friends at Perrigo that will truly miss him. Bob shared many stories of you his “honey buns” , children and grandchildren. Wonderful person, my heart goes out to you all . God Bless
Reply
Tammi Lamper
December 3, 2014 at 6:37 pm
a man with so many words and stories.
Always a friend no matter what he had going on. Loved his sense of humor and his ability to fix and repair anything. Rip Bob
God will love having you mend to those pearly gates
Reply
Deana Vickery Hostetler
December 3, 2014 at 7:07 pm
I am so sorry for your loss. Bob was such a wonderful man. We would call Bob all the time when we needed help at Perrigo. Sue I know you have heard Bob talk about Sadie, I just talked to her in California and she said to make sure I told you how sorry she is for your loss and she sends her prayers to you and the family. Please know we are keeping you and the family in our thoughts and prayers. Gods Blessing to all.
Reply
Arch & Sandy Woodstock
December 3, 2014 at 7:28 pm
Saddened to hear of Bob’s passing, know that he knew Christ as his Savior and now shares the Joys that only Heaven can bring.
Reply
Aaron and Rachel
December 3, 2014 at 8:32 pm
Aunt Susie, Adrienne, Dan, Chris,
We are very sorry for the loss of Uncle Bob, we will miss him very much. Uncle Bob was a very kind, caring, and generous person. He loved you all very much. For those who knew him or were lucky enough to have him as an Uncle, as we were, we will never forget what a wonderful person he was. We love you and all of you are in our thoughts each day.
Reply
Connie Nelson
December 3, 2014 at 8:57 pm
May the memories provide you comfort and The Lord provide you strength during this time. I am so sorry for your loss….
Reply
Tom Wright
December 4, 2014 at 6:25 am
I first met Bob over 20 years ago when he worked for KSM and did our metal fab work for us at Perrigo. He used to come out to the racetrack every once in a while and hang out too. This past winter he came to my house and gave me a hand a couple times building a pole barn.
And practically every time i ever saw him he would talk about his family. Years ago it was his wife and kids and then it was all about the grandkids. He loved you all so much! We used to laugh when i first met him as to whether or not Sue actually had a real name because he always referred to her as “My sweetie” or “honey buns”.
He left a positive lasting impression on everyone he met and will be missed by many. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sue and his family.
Tom & Barb Wright
Reply
Diane Long
December 4, 2014 at 7:02 am
Sue & family,
Our family was so blessed to have Bob in our lives. We only have to look around our home to remember Bob. Meeting Bob at work brought Sue into our lives & that made the blessing double. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Mike, Diane & Molly Long
Reply
Brad Whitehouse
December 4, 2014 at 9:06 am
I’m very sorry to hear this heartbreaking news. My heart goes out to you, Adrienne and Chris. I have many fond memories of Bob, including hearing him joke around with all of us at your house all those years ago, and all those basketballs he bought for the team. You’re in my thoughts.
Reply
Anne VanTongeren
December 4, 2014 at 11:19 am
I did not know Bob but I saw the impact he made on his family, especially his grandchildren. May the good memories bring you comfort in the days ahead.
Reply
Kari Simmons
December 4, 2014 at 12:44 pm
Adrienne & Family, I am so sorry for your loss. Please know we are thinking of you all and praying for God’s comfort during this difficult time. ~Aaron & Kari Simmons
Reply
Chip & Sue
December 4, 2014 at 5:47 pm
Sue & Family
Words cannot begin to express the sorrow we felt and will continue to feel for a long time at the loss of a very special and lifetime friend. Bob will always be missed. Your family will continue to be in our hearts and prayers and you know we will always be there for you. Distance might have separated us for a time, but our hearts are always with you. We love you all.
Chip & Sue
Reply
Rick Steinke
December 4, 2014 at 6:47 pm
I will always remember Bob.He was the go to man at perrigo whenever you needed something welded or fabricated.He always had a smile on his face and was kind.I remember asking him where he learned to weld so good and he said to me I was a good grinder before I was a good welder .some how I don’t know if I believed him on that one .My thoughts and prayers go out to his family He will be truly missed by many
Reply
Don Weyenberg
December 4, 2014 at 7:06 pm
Sue, I will miss seeing the two of you and the grandkids at the Fly Inn. One of the last times I saw you two I had the chance to tell him personally what a wonderful man he was. I am glad I did not shy away from that. I will miss his hand shake and the way he would say “Don” when we would meet. May God comfort you.
Reply
Kimberly Sunlin Shannon
December 4, 2014 at 7:11 pm
Sue and family,
The Wolhuis’ home was a place I spent a lot of time as a child. I grew up with Adrienne and Chris. I have very fond memories of staying the night with Adrienne and her Dad (Bob) being so kind, warm, and friendly. My thoughts and prayers are with you that your memories will fill the place I know a void will be without him. It is good to know you will all be joined in Heaven again. Until that time, hold on to those memories tightly.
Reply
Karen Warden
December 4, 2014 at 8:57 pm
Adrienne and Family,
So sorry for your loss. May you find comfort and strength in all the wonderful memories of your father. God bless all of you and may he guide you through this time of loss.
Karen
Reply
Ken and Cindy Snyder
December 5, 2014 at 1:50 pm
Sue, Adrienne and Chris: We are praying for peace and strength for you all. Bob loved to help and was so kind to Karen helping her the last 2 yrs due to loss of Lee. Bob loved home made pies and goodies & willing to help anyone. What a wonderful example of “Serving” one another that he has been to you. I go by your house each day & promise to stop in and see you Sue in the days ahead.
Reply
Steve Hasper
December 5, 2014 at 2:04 pm
Dear Sue and kids,
What wonderful memories we have of your home, family, and faith. Bob was a wonderful friend! Our prayers are for you. May the Lord be close to you and the peace of Christ. Philippians 4:7.
Reply
Dave & Trudy Sumner
December 5, 2014 at 3:17 pm
I have known Bob for well over 25 years, from working at Perrigo together. As anyone that met Bob would say, “I never saw Bob without a smile”.
I don’t ever remember Bob telling anyone “no” or I don’t have time.
I have kept in touch with Bob by phone since he retired, and he always boasted about being his grandkids “Mr. Mom”:).
All of Bobs family are in our thoughts and prayers.
May God bless,
Dave and Trudy
Reply
Dave and Trudy Sumner
December 5, 2014 at 4:13 pm
I met Bob over 25 years ago while working at Perrigo. Bob and I worked together on many projects, up until he retired. I don’t ever recall seeing Bob without a smile on his face and something to say that would make me laugh.
I have kept in contact with Bob by phone since he retired and haven’t spoke with him for a while now but, I can still hear his laugh and see his face, after knowing him for so long.
Bob will be missed, even though it seems a long time since I have seen him.
Our prayers and thoughts go out to the entire family.
May god bless and be with you,
Dave and Trudy
Reply
David & Carol Holtzhouse
December 6, 2014 at 6:46 am
Sue and family,
What a shock to hear of Bob’s home-going. We have SO MANY wonderful memories of time spent with you two and your family. You guys were always such good friends and were of special help to us in many times of need. Know that our prayers are with you and will be in the days to come.
David & Carol
Reply
Al & Jan Simmons
December 8, 2014 at 1:28 pm
Adrienne & Dan, Sue & Chris:
We are so sorry for your loss. You are in our thoughts and will all be in our prayers.
Al & Jan
Reply
Doug and Nancy Hopkins
December 11, 2014 at 8:21 am
Sue and family,
We are so sorry for your loss. What a great person Bob was. We will be praying for you .
Doug and Nancy Hopkins
Reply
Evelyn Wolthuis
June 28, 2018 at 8:18 pm
Bob was my grandfather. He was such an amazing man, and I miss him so much. I have so many fond memories of him, especially of when we’d be at the dinner table, and he would always ask when I’d be getting my drivers license. He’d say he’d get me a car to drive around, even when I was only 11 or younger at the time. He was so sweet and loving, and now that the time has come for me to start drivers training, I will be thinking of him a lot as I go through this process. I love you, grandpa, and I will always be thinking of you. Love, Evie.
Reply
Leave a Condolence
Cancel reply
Please share your message of condolence with the family, It will be visible to the public but your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked
*
Comment
*
Name
*
*
Δ
Obituary Notification Service
Enter your email address if you would like to be notified when a new obituary notice is posted:
Search Obituaries
How do I send a condolence
At the bottom of this page, you will find a condolence form. You will need to fill out some basic information prior to typing your message. (We will not share your e-mail address with anyone) Once you are finished, simply click the submit condolence button. The condolence will be approved before it is published to the web site.
Share This Obituary
Your Name
*
Your Email
*
Their Name
*
Their Email
*
Message
CAPTCHA
Phone
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Δ
Guestbook
Visits: 3
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors