Obituary: Gay Homan, 95, of Ludington, formerly of Grand Rapids. 

Gay Homan

Obituary: Gay Homan, 95, of Ludington, formerly of Grand Rapids. 

Gay (Kuiper) Homan, 95, of Ludington, formerly of Grand Rapids, went to be with her Heavenly Father on Thursday, August 12, 2021. She was born in Enschede, The Netherlands, to Arend Jan and Christina (Kiefte) Kuiper on July 21, 1926.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Arnold Rubertus Homan, and sisters, Minny, Ina and Ria .

Gay’s early life in Enschede was happy and carefree.

However, during her early high school days World War II broke out. This disrupted her education as she and her family endured five years under German occupation. Gay needed to be brave during these days. For example, she learned to keep a lookout for German soldiers conducting house searches (razzias). Her family hid a gentleman who forged documents such as false ID cards for Dutch Jews and others who needed them.  She also helped her father escape a roundup of Dutch men who had been detained and would be sent to Germany to work. She relayed a forged exemption pass from home to her father to help him escape. 

She was able to finish her schooling after the war and went on to study and become a physical therapist. She married Arnold in 1952. They immigrated to Ontario, Canada for their “honeymoon cruise”. Four of their five children were born in Ontario. In 1961 they moved to Paterson, New Jersey where their fifth child was born. Eventually they moved to Havertown, Pennsylvania and resided there until after retirement. 

Gay was a stay-at-home mom until her youngest child went to school and she decided to return to her physical therapy profession. Maintaining the household and mothering five children did not deter her from diligent study and the successful attainment of her PT license to practice in the United States. For many years Gay cared for residents at St Edmond’s Home for Crippled Children.  Thereafter she worked in a rehabilitation hospital/facility, a nursing home, and as an in-home physical therapist.  After several years in retirement she and Arnold decided to move to Grand Rapids to live closer to children and transplanted friends from Pennsylvania. She spent her last months of life in Ludington to reside closer to family. Gay and Arnold’s belief in God was strong. Their faith was the foundation for their family and life. Gay often reflected on God’s care and His providence in her and her family’s lives.

Gay loved to travel. She and Arnold were able to return to see family in The Netherlands as well as visit many other places in the US and abroad. She loved family vacations. It was always important to her to have all of her family together, especially after all her children had moved away, married and had families of their own. 

She had a great sense of humor. She enjoyed entertaining and would often have friends and family, as well as new church families or visitors over for dinner.  She always stayed active. She was artistic and creative. Gay was a talented painter, knitter, quilter, wool and fiber spinner, seamstress, and “do-it-yourselfer” (along with Arnold).

She will be sadly missed by her children Ren (Nelva) Homan, Eric (Nancy) Homan, Christina (Bud) Zondervan, Winnie (Dave) Kimball, Marion (Chris) Gross;  18 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 4, 2021 at Woodlawn Christian Reformed Church Ministry Center. 3190 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546

In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution in Gay’s memory can be directed to a Woodlawn Christian Reformed Church ministry or missions.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Oak Grove Funeral Home of Ludington, www.oakgroveludington.com.