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Hank VerSluys
Henry Lewis VerSluys, 88, of Branch, died on Saturday, March 8, 2025, after a few years of chronic illness and heart disease.
Hank was born on March 29, 1936, in Pipestone County, Minnesota, the Son of Gerrit and Julia (Lofthus) VerSluys. Hank was a proud military man, and a man of faith. He was a member of the VFW, and a life-time member of the American Legion and the Ruby Creek Conservation Club where he and his loving wife of 50 years, Judy, were instrumental in supporting and growing the club. They were also very active in Evergreen Covenant Church near Baldwin, where they built their retirement home over 26 years ago. Prior to that, they lived in Grandville where they founded H.J.K. Arabians, and were one of the first Black Arabian Horse Breeders around. Hank spent countless hours studying pedigrees/bloodlines to try to determine which ones would produce Black.
Hank was also one of the best heavy equipment operators there was. If he put the parking lot, street, or driveway in, you knew it was going to be level, would hold up, and would also make good sense. After retirement, he could regularly be found on his Kubota tractor doing smaller jobs around the area and local lakes that the bigger equipment couldn’t handle. Although he wasn’t always a soft-hearted man, he loved his family deeply, and he was so proud of his children/step-children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
He is survived by his wife, Judy (DeYoung); his son, Kerri VerSluys; his step-children, Jim Perrin, Jodie (Perrin) and Jeff Schut, and Jeff and Jocelyn Perrin; four grandchildren, Shawn (Schut) and Matt Hamilton, Bill and Jessica Schut, Cassie Perrin, and Natalie Perrin; and three great-grandchildren, Lincoln, Wesley, and Michael. He is also survived by his brother, Clarence VerSluys; sister-in-law, June VerSluys; and his “should’ve-been-son” second cousin, DeWayne VerSluys.
Hank was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Darlene (Wally) Remstad; his brother, Alwin VerSluys; his sister-in-law, Marlyn VerSluys; and his In-laws, Fred and Minnie DeYoung.
A military memorial will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at noon, at Evergreen Covenant Church, 7396 S. Evergreen Road, Branch, with Pastor Keith Foisy officiating. A light Lunch to follow.
Arrangements were entrusted to Oak Grove Funeral Home Of Ludington, www.OakGroveLudington.com.
