William DeKoning was a man who lived his life for the Lord he came to know and

love as a young man. His faith wasn’t just something he knew or talked about, but it was the compass he used to guide his every thought, word, and deed. Bill was a strong husband and loving grandpa who viewed being a parent and grandparent to be both his greatest calling and greatest source of pride as well. He had a heart that seemed as limitless, and was truly interested in the lives of others. Bill enjoyed a great many

things throughout his life, creating a rich tapestry of memories that will be forever held dear by those who loved him most.

It was in the year 1954 that Frank and Marie (Shaver) DeKoning of Kalamazoo, Michigan, were celebrating the birth of their son, William, on February, 25th. Bill, as he was often called, was the youngest of three children in his family and was raised in the family home on Lynn Street in Kalamazoo with his brother Tom and sister Jill. He attended Loy Norrix High School where he played football. As a young man, Bill also enjoyed summers at his family’s cottage on Bankson Lake south of Lawton.

After graduating from high school in the early seventies, Bill worked

numerous jobs including, Stryker which soon brought him more than just a paycheck. It was at work that he met a young lady named Frances Reyes. Although Bill was a bit intrigued by Fran, she really wasn’t interested in him as she was focused on raising her young daughter, Jessica, as a single mother at the time. Eventually Bill won her over, however, and they were married on April 19, 1980.

Also of great significance in Bill’s life was the Christian faith that he came to embrace in the late seventies. He was saved while hearing the Rev. Billy

Graham preach at a Johnny Cash concert and with that, Bill’s life was never the same. His faith was the driving force behind

his desire to be the husband that Fran deserved, and his greatest desire was to bring his children to know the

Lord as well. Bill adopted Fran’s daughter Jessica just as soon as he was able, and together

Bill and Fran were blessed with two more children, Marina and Jacob. He took being a father seriously and viewed his role as an opportunity to impact future generations. It was easy to see that throughout his life, Bill’s family was his greatest source of both pride and joy. He shared his faith with his family and together

they were members of Westwood Baptist, First Baptist of Lawton, and then at Faith Baptist in Mattawan for many years. Bill had served as a deacon at church and began Carpenters for Christ, a mission outreach in Mexico. He was part of

building a total of five churches through the years, and he was also talented at

recruiting others to help as well.

In order to support his family, Bill worked at Parker Abex NWL which offers hydraulic equipment and supplies. He worked in a variety of positions at Parker, almost exclusively working the third shift, over a period of 29 years where he established

legendary friendships. Bill seemed to be friends with just about everyone there and

it wasn’t unusual for people to stop and talk with him during his work day.

In addition to caring for his family and working hard at his job, Bill made sure there was time to pursue other interests as well. He was the cook in his house and enjoyed all different types of cuisine himself including

Chinese and Mexican among others. Bill didn’t just prepare food either, he was constantly working at the way he presented the dishes he prepared and had quite a collection of spices and herbs. He enjoyed listening to either country music or the Tigers play baseball and when it came to watching television, Bill enjoyed baseball, football, and any news channells. He was also an avid newspaper reader who enjoyed reading the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune in addition to others as well. Bill even had a specific route he took to work so that he could get his papers each day. He additionally liked to hunt and enjoyed fishing up north with his friends and family.

William DeKoning was such a special man to so many throughout his life. He was a man of great character who had an open heart and an accepting spirit. To those that knew Bill, it was obvious that he genuinely cared about others which was what seemed to make him a man whom others wanted to know. Although he

was passionate about hunting and fishing, his faith and family always held the most prominent places in his heart. As his family and friends now say goodbye, they will be forever grateful for the moments they were given to share with such a remarkable man. Bill will be dearly missed.

William DeKoning died on November 15, 2009 on the family property in Lawton. Bill’s family includes his wife Frances;

his children, Jessica (Eric) Whitney of Constantine, Marina (Philip)

Reitenour of Paw Paw, Jacob DeKoning of Lawton; 3 grandchildren, Brendan, Isabel, Lena; one sister, Jill Shoemaker of Kalamazoo; one brother, Tom (Brenda) DeKoning of Lawton; and his mother, Marie DeKoning of Paw Paw. Bill was preceded in death by his father.

Family and friends will be received on Thursday from 4-8 p.m. at the Betzler Life Story Funeral Home -Paw Paw, MI, 60900 M-40 657-3870. A service to honor his life will be held Friday, 10 a.m. at Faith Baptist Church in Mattawan. Interment will follow at Chamberlain Cemetery, Porter Township. Food and fellowship will follow the burial back at the church hall. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can sign his guest book before coming to the funeral home, share a memory or photo, or make a memorial contribution to Faith Baptist Church for Mexico Missions.