John Wolfis Obituary
A funeral service will be held on Friday, January 16, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Joldersma & Klein Funeral Home, 917 S. Burdick St., Kalamazoo. The service will be live streamed on the funeral home's YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com. Friends may call on the family one hour prior to the service at the funeral home, beginning at 10:00 a.m. John will be laid to rest at Riverside Cemetery, Kalamazoo. Those wishing to make a lasting gift in John's memory are asked to consider Kairos Dwelling, in c/o the funeral home.
Age 92 of Kalamazoo, went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Thursday morning, January 8, 2026. John was born in Bedum, Gronigen, The Netherlands, on April 27, 1933, the son of Eppe and Johanna (Klooster) Wolfis. On March 13, 1958, he married Stijntje "Tina" Oosterhuis, who preceded him in death in 2011. John and Tina and their son, Eppe, immigrated to the United States in 1961 on the S.S. Maasdam. John was a long-time member of the Christian Reformed Church. He loved music. He especially liked Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. He also loved playing the guitar himself. He liked sailing and had his own boat which he named "Stijntje" after his wife. As a family they enjoyed sailing on Lake Michigan. He was a formidable chess player. John was mechanically minded and could fix anything. He owned a bicycle shop, a motorcycle shop, several gas stations and an automotive repair shop. John had a calm, steady kindness that always comforted those around him. Nothing was more important to him than his family and he loved spending time with them. John is survived by his daughter, Amanda (Douglas) Dubay of Freeport, MI; daughter in law, Ann Wolfis of Richland; grandchildren, Eppe Wolfis, Katie (Ryan) Boven, Adam Spencer, Olivia Dubay, Eliot (Beth) Dubay, Sarah (Jeff) Neumann; five great grandchildren; brother, Hendrik "Henk" (Gwen) Wolfis; sister-in-law, Hiek Wolfis; several nieces and nephews and many, many friends. Besides his wife, John was preceded in death by his parents; son, Eppe Wolfis; brothers, Klaas Wolfis and Auke Wolfis; and sister, Trijntje "Trynie" Aikema.
