John M. DeVries Jr. Obituary

A service in witness to John's life and faith will be held on Friday, August 30, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Community Presbyterian Church, 811 Gorham Lane, Kalamazoo. Friends may call on the family one hour prior to the service beginning at 10:00 a.m. and following the service at a reception. John will be laid to rest at Riverside Cemetery, Kalamazoo. Memorial contributions may be made to Community Presbyterian Church Building Fund, in c/o the funeral home.

John Martin DeVries, Jr. of Kalamazoo, Michigan passed into eternal glory on August 5, 2024, at the age of 66 with his wife and three children by his side. John is survived by his wife, Kristen DeVries, his children Christiane (Richard) Boles, John III (Libby) DeVries, and Katie DeVries, and his five grandchildren Beatrice, Louisa, John "Jack" IV, Charlie, and William, as well as his three sisters Jane, Anne, and MaryBeth DeVries.

Born in Detroit on January 21, 1958, to Jack and Jean DeVries, John moved to Kalamazoo when he was three years old in order for his father to join his best friend's father in a newly established obstetrics practice. Kalamazoo served as the backdrop for an idyllic childhood filled with lots of baseball, adventurous road trips, lifelong friendships and the foundation of his faith. John graduated from Loy Norrix High School (Class of 1976) and Hope College (Class of 1981) before landing a market research job in Dallas, Texas which he enthusiastically called home for over 20 years and where he met his Michigan-born wife, Kristen. John and Kristen were married on May 24, 1997 in Dallas, TX.. His career and adventurous spirit also allowed for opportunities to work and live in Dallas, Chicago, Connecticut, New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Detroit and finally retiring back to his childhood hometown.

John had a wide variety of interests and hobbies from golf to cooking to singing to politics, and while some may say his favorite thing of all was Michigan football, we all knew his favorite things weren't things at all, but people. He was a people person and could strike up a conversation with anyone.

The times he held most dear were with his loved ones. Whether that be spending time up north creating lasting memories with Kristen on their yearly vacations, having "fatherly advice" chats with his children, being around his grandchildren and always making sure to get them toys and treats from DeVries & Co, or having everyone together for his favorite time of the year, Christmas (the lyrics to EVERY holiday classic memorized); his heart was most full when living in those moments. He could light up any room and could see the light at the end of the darkest tunnel. And that light was Christ.

John's ultimate purpose was driven by his Christian faith. His generous spirit, endless capacity for love, and relentless optimism and grit were a product of that faith. He was a faithful member of Community Presbyterian Church serving in ways such as Real Estate Committee Chair and hosting church events alongside his wife in their home. In his later years, he read his Bible through every single year, gleaning knowledge and wisdom he continually shared. A phone call from John would often lead to a spiritual conversation about God's goodness and love. And his children knew without a doubt that one of his greatest joys was knowing that each walked in faith too.