Ribbons, Military
Catalog Number
2007.7.4a-bDescription
Four pin-on ribbons from the military uniform of Marinus "Rink" Slayer. He served in the army and was stationed in the Aleucian Islands during World War II, from March 1943 to November 1945.History
Items from 2007.7 belonged to Marinus “Rink” Slayer, father of the donor.Marinus “Rink” Slayer, son of Joseph J. Slayer and his wife, Marie (Bilek), of Holland, Michigan, was born May 27, 1923. Along with his brother Karl and sister Betty, Marinus enjoyed a typical childhood growing up in Holland.
Marinus married Tillie on June 28, 1942, at the First Methodist Church. A little less than a year later, in March 1943, Marinus enlisted in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. During his 2 years of active duty during World War II, Marinus was stationed in the Aleutian Islands in the Northern Pacific Ocean, westward of the Alaska Peninsula.
For most of the 1950s and 1960s, Marinus and Tillie lived at 307 Howard Ave in Holland Charter Township. Marinus worked for over 50 years as a mason (bricklayer). Over the life of his career, Marinus helped build many well-known buildings around the Holland area, including the Holland Hospital and Herrick Library, to name a few.
Marinus was a hard working and loyal member of the Holland community for his entire life. He cared deeply for his family and showed it by providing faithfully for them and sharing much love and laughter. He will be greatly missed.
Marinus “Rink” Slayer, age 85 of Holland, MI, passed away peacefully at his home on Monday, June 9, 2008. He was preceded in death by a son-in-law, Michael Miller, in 1987, and a brother, Karl Slayer, in 2007. Surviving is his wife of 66 years, Tillie; daughters: Lynne and Marvin Rowan, Pamela and Mike Howard, Nadene and Rick Nelson, all of Holland, Maureen Slayer of Wayland, Kim and Bob Kluitenberg of West Olive, Jodi Miller and Bernard Dixon III of Oklahoma, Kristi and Stan Northrop of Shelbyville; 14 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren, and two great great grandchildren; sister, Betty and Richard Marlink of Holland; in-laws: Mary Ann Slayer of Holland, Henry and Lee Waterkamp of Atlanta, MI, and Gary Waterkamp of Edwardsburg; several nephews, nieces and cousins.Read More