Denzel "Dirk" Bouton, Sr.

Denzel "Dirk" Bouton was truly the rarest of men, a man who earned what he had, and willingly gave it to others. He was a man with a golden heart, whose countless good deeds touched so many. Dirk was a selfless man who gave us everything he had, his time, his blood, and best of all, his love. Dirk was born April 13, 1927, on a warm Wednesday in Georgetown, Illinois, the youngest of two children, joining older sister Helen. Times were very tough back then, in the teeth of the Great Depression, and work was difficult to come by for so many. His father was a foundry man, who left the family farm when Dirk was just a baby. The family moved north to Muskegon in search of better opportunity. His dad took a job at CWC, while his mother worked at Brenneman's Drapery, making curtain rolls. Dirk attended Muskegon schools, but left high school before graduating. One of his greatest personal achievements was going back to school later in life, when he had a family of his own, to earn his diploma. It was something he was very proud of, and rightfully so. When Dirk was growing up, his mother made sure her son received a well-rounded education, and enrolled him in many different extracurricular classes, like ballroom dancing, clarinet and even tap dancing! But truthfully, Dirk preferred using his feet to run around town, having fun with his teenage friends, Jim and Bob. But as the country became entrenched in the throes of World War II, Dirk was getting older, and bolder. When he finally became old enough near the end of the war, he volunteered for service, always willing to do his part, to do what he can. But he would be declined by the military, due to an eye condition preventing him from serving. Undaunted, he joined the Merchant Marines, and was finally accepted a day or two before the war officially ended. But Dirk's life would be fulfilled in so many other ways, and soon enough. One day in 1947, Dirk was roller skating at the Curvecrest Roller Rink in Muskegon, when he spied a beautiful young girl named Geraldine Elizabeth Klym. She was just 17, and he was 20, but the two danced on skates together that day and really hit it off. After dating for a year, they were married, beginning a lifelong romance. Geraldine and Dirk started their family right away, even after the first of their four children, Judy, flung her arm up and knocked her Daddy right in the head with her glass baby bottle! A son, the mischievous Michael, was next, followed by daughter Mary and lastly son Denzel, Jr. Dirk was an excellent father, of course, and worked very hard to provide for his family. He worked for Consumers Power for 25 years, trimming trees. He always did the dangerous, difficult jobs himself, and was eventually promoted to foreman. His job at Consumers kept the lights on at the Bouton home, but Dirk always dreamed of one day owning his own bakery - a dream that came to fruition in 1976. Dirk started Bouton's Bakery in Ravenna, which was truly a labor of love, as well as a family affair. Dirk did most of the work there himself, because he could do it faster, but the whole family pitched in and did their parts, as well. Denzel Jr. vividly remembers frying up Long John doughnuts until 1 in the morning, while Mary made the cookies, Judy kept the books, and Mom worked the register. It was a people-oriented job, and Dirk loved the human connection best of all, as well as having his family around him. He always made an effort to spend time with his family, whom he loved so much. He would take the kids to school every morning on his way to work; otherwise they would have to walk from the east side of town all the way to Muskegon High School. And little did he know, he'd drop Denzel Jr. off at the front door and he'd promptly run out the back door! But Dirk was very involved in his children's educations, and was very active in the PTA, Band Parents and the Cub Scouts. The Boutons were a tight-knit family, and Dirk was often the tie that bound them together. He made sure they did things together, as a family, from roller skating together (he always loved to skate, even later in life), to family vacations. Every summer he would take his family back to the old homestead in Georgetown, Illinois, so his children could learn their roots, and see the value of an agricultural life on the farm. The family formed so many fond memories on those summer vacations together. Dirk sold his bakery in the mid-80s, but continued to work for Rykes Bakery, Family Foods and Plumbs Grocery stores. Sadly, Dirk suffered a pair of tragedies later in life, as his beloved wife died in 1989, followed by his son Michael in 1991, both of them to cancer, the same disease that took his life. Dirk became more social as he got older, and would go out to the Muskegon Heights Eagles, the Fruitport Eagles or the VFW, any place where he could be social. He had such a wonderful personality, a true gentleman always, and it was never hard to find people who wanted to be around him. He had a kind heart, a broad smile and an easy laugh, which made him a very popular grandpa, as well. He was computer literate, and kept in contact with them by sending email and text messages on his Nokia phone. But Dirk's greatest trait was his uncommon selflessness. He was constantly thinking of others, doing for others, giving to others. If you needed a tree trimmed, he wouldn't hear of someone else doing it, and never hesitated to climb trees. He loved to garden, and would gladly share the fruits (and vegetables) of his labor. He snow-blowed his neighbor's driveways, and shared his newspapers with them. Dirk gave everything he had to others, his love, his sweat, and his blood - especially his blood. Dirk donated nearly 13 gallons of blood, just a pint shy of 13 gallons, a selfless feat that made him the focus of a Channel 13 feature. But they missed Dirk's point. He wasn't supposed to be the focus, everything he did was always for others. Always giving, always thinking of others. His favorite phrase was "Thank you for being you," the perfect phrase for him. He was a man full of kindness, a man who was truly selfless. But to the countless people he touched, Dirk could only be considered peerless. He will be greatly missed. Survivors: children, Judy (Dick) VanArnam of Nunica, Mary Barnes of Muskegon, & Denzel (Donna) Bouton, Jr of Muskegon; 8 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; niece, Pam Brozek & nephew, Bill Fox, Jr.;special friends, nurse Ellen, & Donna Flickema. He was preceded in death by his wife Geraldine in 1989, son Michael in 1991 and sister Helen Fox in 1998.