Roger VanderLaan

Roger Glenn VanderLaan, age 87, went to meet his Lord and Savior on Friday, September 30, 2022. He was born in Grand Rapids to Herman and Jean VanderLaan. Roger was a graduate of Grand Rapids Christian High School, where he was an accomplished basketball player. He went on to graduate from Ferris State University where Roger “The Duper” was a basketball standout and hall of fame inductee. He was hired by Davenport University in 1963 to teach accounting, and also served as the athletic director and coached the Panthers basketball and golf teams. Following his time in athletics, he moved into the administrative ranks as director of admissions. He completed his career as the executive vice president, retiring in 2001 after 38 years at Davenport. Roger never met a stranger and had a genuine way of connecting with anyone he met. He enjoyed weekly breakfasts with the guys at the 76th Street Truck Stop and spending time in Aruba and Fort Myers Beach. Roger will be missed by many for his generous nature and infectious sense of humor. He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 32 years, Clare VanderLaan; children: Susan (Dale) Nutter, Christie (Andrew) Braun, Randall (Brenda) Goodyke; grandchildren: Amanda (Christian) Damon, Austin (Madison) Goodyke, Amber (Taylor) Brushwyler, Isaac Nutter, Emily Nutter, Maxwell Braun; and two great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, at 11 a.m. Princeton Christian Reformed Church, 5330 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, Kentwood, with Pastor Steve Hull officiating. The burial will take place at Winchester Cemetery. Relatives and friends may meet the family Monday, October 3, from 4-7 p.m. at Matthysse Kuiper DeGraaf Funeral Home (Grandville) 4145 Chicago Dr. SW and Tuesday from 10-10:45 a.m. prior to the service at the church. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to Family Promise of Grand Rapids https://www.familypromisegr.org/.

The service will be livestreamed and can be viewed via this link: https://youtu.be/lUJxE_5CH3w