Godfrey Vander Werff

Godfrey Vander Werff, 93 of Grand Rapids, Michigan, passed away on Monday, February 17, 2025, in Grand Rapids. He was the sixth child of Douwe and Cornelia (Honton) Vander Werff. Godfrey attended St. Joseph Grade School on Rumsey Street and graduated from Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids. He received an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and a law degree from the University of Notre Dame du Lac Law School in South Bend, Indiana. He served in the U.S. Army. A dedicated attorney in Grand Rapids for many decades, he remained ready to practice law even in his final days. In 1964, Godfrey married his beautiful bride, Geraldine (Gerry) Ryder. They shared 60 fruitful years of marriage, evidenced by their eight children, eight grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. In his retirement, Godfrey set his hand to the plow and worked with Gerry to sustain the legacy of her family’s farm. He also enjoyed trips to Lake Michigan, watching the boats pass through the channels at Grand Haven and Holland, hearkening to his ancestral roots in Friesland, Netherlands, where his family built wooden boats. A lifelong Catholic, Godfrey was a man of deep faith, often found in silent prayer, even in his final hours.

Godfrey is survived by his wife, Geraldine; daughters, Molly (Paul) Klimas, Sara Vander Werff, Margaret (Phillip) Bollin, Anne (Marc) O’Neill, Rebecca (David) DeWeerdt; sons, Robert (Kelly) Vander Werff, Rev. William Vander Werff, Matthew Vander Werff; six granddaughters, two grandsons, two great-granddaughters, six great-grandsons; his sisters-in-law, Norma Vander Werff, Patricia Vander Werff, Bernadette Pniewski; as well as many nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Remiegia Henrietta Vander Werff, Henrietta Bernadette De Young, Mary Leone Trudell; his brothers, Lambert Robert Vander Werff, Buddy Godfrey Vander Werff, Francis Theodore Vander Werff, Dominic Matthias Vander Werff; as well as his lifelong friends from St. Joseph Grade School.

Family will greet friends and relatives from 5-7:30pm on Friday, February 21, 2025, at O’Brien-Eggebeen-Gerst Funeral Homes, 3980 Cascade Road SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546, with a Rosary at 7pm. A Mass of Christian Burial for Godfrey will be Saturday, February 22, 2025, at 10am at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, 2750 Burton St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546, with visitation one hour prior. At his request, he will be laid to rest at St Mary’s Cemetery in the Flat River Valley.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Trinity Health, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, and Interim HealthCare Hospice for their compassionate care in his final years and days.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Daniel J. Donnelly Endowment Fund at St. Paul the Apostle School or the Pregnancy Resource Center (PRC) of Grand Rapids.