autobiography
Catalog Number
2020.12.27a-uDescription
This document is an autobiography of one man's experience during World War II. It contains racial slurs that have been left in so that the author's story may remain intact.Autobiography of Gordon Zuverink's experience in Company D during World War II, 17 pages, typed.
History
Gordon Zuverink, 94, passed away on December 4, 2014 in his winter home in Mesa, AZ with his wife, Mary, by his side. Gordon grew up in Holland, graduating from Holland High School in 1939. He worked with father's home building crew until he joined the Holland National Guard which was activated into the US Army's 32nd Division in Louisiana. There he married his high school sweetheart, Virginia Van Hoven in 1941. In 1942 he was sent to New Guinea where he was one of the Ghost Mountain Boys in the Battle for Buna receiving the Bronze Star for combat. He remained in Australia until being shipped out in 1945. He then attended Chicago Technical College receiving a degree in Building Construction and Architectural Design. He worked for various companies in the Holland area until he purchased Overisel Lumber Company with co-owner Elvin Slenk in 1960. Gordon and Elvin were instrumental in reactivating The Home Builders Association of the Holland Area and he was a board member of the Michigan Home Builders Association. He was also active in Optimist Club, served on the Holland Chamber of Commerce board of directors, and assisted in the formation of The Holland Economic Development Corporation. Gordon retired in 1980 and resumed his favorite pastime which was fishing the rivers near his cottage in northern Michigan and as a charter boat captain on Lake Michigan. He was active in the Michigan Steelheaders' Organization, on the Michigan DNR Advisory Committee, was chairman of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and helped start the Holland Area Steelheaders' Chapter. He also helped organize Wildlife Unlimited of Allegan and Ottawa Counties. Gordon's wife, Virginia, passed away in 1998, after 56 years of marriage. In 1999 he met Mary Jane Smit. They married in 2000 and spent their time together living in Holland during the summer and Arizona in the winter. Gordon and Mary are members of Fellowship Reformed Church.Besides Virginia, Gordon was preceded in death by his sisters Alyce Maatman, Agnes Zuverink-Norman; and brothers Benjamin, Kenneth, George and Vernon Zuverink.
A Memorial Service will be held at a later date at Fellowship Reformed Church in Holland.
Local arrangements are by the Northwood Chapel, Dykstra Funeral Homes, 295 Douglas Ave. Holland. Please visit www.dykstrafuneralhome.com to sign an online registry or to leave a memory.
Published in The Holland Sentinel on Dec. 7, 2014