Melvin De Boer

Melvin De Boer was born on June 9, 1940, to Rev. Peter and Gertrude (Vermeer) De Boer in Holland, Michigan. When he was 4 years old, his family moved to Redlands, California, where they lived until 1948. Then he and his family moved to Edgerton, Minnesota, where Mel attended and graduated from Christian elementary and high schools. After graduating from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., he married Elizabeth H. Vis in 1963 at Raymond, Minnesota.

For the next four years they lived in Edgerton where he taught at Southwest Minnesota Christian High School. Then for four years they lived in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he studied in the graduate school of the University of Minnesota. After that Liz and he with their three oldest children moved to Cicero, Illinois, and he taught for three years at Francis W. Parker School in Chicago, Illinois.  Then they moved with the four oldest children to Wyoming, Michigan, and he taught at Calvin Christian and at Unity Christian high schools over a four-year period. In 1978 they moved with their five children back to Edgerton, where Mel ran De Boer Printing for five years and then was editor and publisher of The Edgerton Enterprise for 19 years. Selling the business, he semi-retired in 2002, and began working part-time, mostly enjoying his delivery driving, until late 2009.

To Mel and Liz, God gave five children: Mark De Boer, St. Louis Park, Minn.; Lisa De Boer, Caledonia, Mich.; Pamela and Michael Prins and their three children, Claire, Renee, and Ella, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Peter and Emily De Boer and their five children, Samantha Vander Woude (Jeremy and their child, Elliana, Chandler, Minnesota), Ethan, Zachary, Vincent, and Dalton, Hawarden, Iowa; and James and Sarah De Boer and their three children, Isaac, Harper, and Katherine, Bridgewater, Virginia.

Mel spent time studying the Bible and reading related Christian books. He found peace and comfort in the presence of God in his life and in the lives of those close to him. He faithfully attended organized worship services and had firm ideas about the worship of God in those services. He was also definite about praying and reading God's word in the home and his private devotions.

Mel enjoyed activities with and being with Liz as well as with their children and grandchildren. He gave much time and effort to his paying jobs. He also enjoyed furniture refinishing, fishing, and gardening as long as the weeds didn't get ahead of his efforts. In later decades of his life he enjoyed canoeing and camping in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area with his sons and daughters-in-law. He enjoyed piano and Christian (although not much contemporary) music, and liked to read and write, appreciating the workings of language and the communicating that words and books could do, especially the word of God, the Bible.

Mel’s beloved wife of 58 years, Liz, passed away May 26, 2021. On June 3, 2024, Mel moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan into Holland Home.

Secure in the knowledge of the sovereignty and saving grace of his Maker, Mel peacefully passed away on July 1, 2026 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Mel was proceeded in death by his wife, Elizabeth (Vis) DeBoer, and siblings and siblings in law: Nancy DeBoer, “Coke” Fey, Les VandenBerg, Hien DeBoer, Gertrude DeBoer, Roger Pool, Orlin TenCate, Gladi DeBoer, Ken Vis, Evy Koets, Mike Alsum and Lois Hekman. 

Surviving are his five children, 12 grandchildren and one great granddaughter and siblings  and siblings-in-law: Pier DeBoer, Beth VandenBerg, Iva DeBoer, Joan Pool, Alyce TenCate, Mike VanderPol, Lorrie Vis, Jay Koets, Harriet Vis-Karl, Esther Alsum, Noni and Cal Geers, Charles Hekman, Bill and Barb Vis, and Pat Deur-Vis and many nephews and nieces.

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