Philip Lawrence Postma Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Philip Lawrence Postma, age 86, of Rudyard, Michigan, went to meet his savior on June 25, 2022, hours before his wife, Sara Postma. He was born on May 4, 1936, to John F. and Emma (Ploegstra) Postma. Phil grew up in Rudyard and graduated from Rudyard High School in 1954. He loved fixing things, starting fun projects, and helped coordinate the loading of 200 box cars full of hay for struggling farmers in the Midwest. He married the love of his life, Sara Joanne Besteman, on November 23, 1962, in Rudyard. He enlisted in the Army National Guard, where he served a short period before returning home to work on the family farm. He was a school bus driver in the late 1950’s for a few years. He then worked for his brother-in-law, Floyd, at VanSloten Tile for ten years, He then worked for Dollar Bay Tile in Houghton, Michigan, Waterland Tile in Traverse City, Michigan, and Contractor’s Supply in Petoskey, Michigan. He also worked on many local jobs, large and small, with his sidekick, Jake Postma. They were known throughout Northern Michigan for the beautiful tile work they did. He retired in 2000. Since retirement, Phil was a proud and active member of the New Hope Community Church in Kinross, Michigan, serving on church council and doing many repairs on the church. He was a member of the Future Farmers of America and the Trowel Trade and Bricklayers Union. He also was a council member and volunteer Sunday School teacher at the Rudyard Christian Reformed Church and later at the New Hope Community Church. Phil loved machinery, farming, cutting firewood, gardening, hunting, snowmobiling, and sports, like Laker hockey. He was a huge Rudyard sports fan and loved taking his children out snowmobiling to the I-500. He loved camping with his wife and spending time with his grandchildren. He also loved to travel with his wife and best friends, Bud and Margaret Anderson, to Alaska, Washington D.C., and Florida, to name a few. Phil is survived by his sons, Lawrence J. (Jacqueline) Postma of Rudyard, and Joel G. (Jennifer) Postma of Saranac, Michigan; grandchildren, Justin Postma, Cassandra Brown, Laurynn Postma, Benjamin Postma, Rachel Postma, Jonathan Postma, Andrew Postma, Morgan Wasilew, Madeline Wasilew, and Maximus Wasilew; brothers, Sherman (Angie) Postma of Grand Rapids, Michigan and Willard (Coralyn) Postma of Zeeland, Michigan; sister, Stella Postma (Ferdinand, deceased) of Rudyard; sisters-in-law, Carol (Jim) Koetie (John Postma, deceased) of Grandville, Michigan, and Ruth Postma (Floyd, deceased); sisters-in-law, Ruth McGuire, Bonnie (Dave) Tosh, Margaret (Richard) Winkel, and Kim (Kathy) Cheney; and many beloved nieces and nephews. Phil is preceded in death by his parents, John and Emma Postma; brothers, Howard (Adele) Postma, Floyd Postma, John Postma, and Paul Postma; sisters, Ethel (August) Wagner and Johanna (Floyd) VanSloten; and brothers-in-law, Ferdinand Postma and Everson McGuire. Visitation will be held on Thursday, June 30, 2022, from 5:00 PM to 7:30 PM. at Galer Funeral Homes & Cremation, 24549 S. M-129 in Pickford, Michigan. Visitation will also be held on July 1, 2022, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at the Christian Reformed Church, 17938 S. Tilson Rd, Rudyard, Michigan 49780, with the Funeral service beginning at 11:00 AM. Burial will follow at North Rudyard Township Cemetery, and a potluck lunch at Rudyard Christian Reformed Church will follow the burial. Memorial contributions may be made to the Rudyard Christian Schools, 10702 W. 17 Mile Road, Rudyard, MI 49780, or Samaritan’s Purse, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607 or online at samaritanspurse.org. Philip’s family thanks the staff of War Memorial Hospital for the compassionate care Phil received during his illness. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.galerfuneralhomes.com. .

Philip Lawrence Postma

May 4, 1936 - June 25, 2022