Emerson Leeuw

It is sometimes said that if something is worth having then it is worth working hard for. Emerson Leeuw knew what his priorities were in life and devoted everything he had to making his dreams a reality. As a single father he was committed to raising his children in the most stable and loving environment he could provide. Whether he was working hard in the fields to put food on the table or making sure that one of his kid's homework was completed on time, he gave his all to his family everyday. Emerson also had unique talents and gifts that he was able to use nurturing and caring for the horses that were his life's passion. He had the heart of a free spirit, and a kind and a happy nature that made each one of life's moments a whole lot brighter. Emerson's story begins on July 18, 1932 on the outskirts of Holland, Michigan in the small town of Zeeland. His father, John Leeuw, may have been a farmer by trade, but his talents extended far beyond the fields. He operated a steam engine thrashing machine, sold feed, and even had his own hatchery for raising chickens. Emerson's mother, Tracy (Huizer), had her hands full running the home and raising the couple's eight children. Both Tracy and John had a Dutch ancestry and they maintained their heritage by conversing with one another in Dutch. Although the children were exposed to their parent's native language, Emerson and his siblings grew up speaking only English. As a young boy Emerson enjoyed fishing in the neighborhood creek and, once he started school, pitching and playing softball. It was around this time that he also made several friendships that would last a lifetime. One such friend was a boy named Gordy Mealson, who lived nearby, and two others, Warren Maat and Bob Bunker, whom he met in school. Most people identify the time period of Emerson's childhood as one marked by scarcity and struggle, however, out of the Depression Era also came stories of great success and achievement. One such story was that of the racing horse Seabiscuit, a mistreated young horse that was later championed by the nation. As the decade came to a close, Seabiscuit triumphed over adversity and went on to a victory in his last race. Although he was only a young boy when horse racing rose to new heights with the popularity of Seabiscuit, a few years later at the age of 13, Emerson developed his own interest in horses. Horses became his passion as he learned to ride, nurture, and care for them and learned about proper diet and nutrition. His first horse was named Pepper and he could spend hours grooming, riding, and being with his companion animal. From that time on, Emerson began a love affair caring for horses that would last a lifetime. Emerson was a young man when he met a lady name Marge. A very young and in love Emerson soon found himself married to his new wife. However, just as World War II was concluding, Emerson and his brother Howard were both drafted to serve overseas in the United States Navy. They were stationed at a naval base in Guam and, although they were never on the front line, their experiences in the South Pacific left a permanent impression on their lives. He and Marge later parted ways, but they had two beautiful children together, Jack and Christy. Emerson then had a brief marriage to Judy, before meeting and falling for Luanna. Although Emerson and Luanna's marriage did not last, it was a complete success on one account. The couple brought three wonderful children into this world, Rachel, Becky, and Steven. After their divorce was final, Emerson made history in Allegan County family court. As a testament to his dedication as a father, he was the first man in the county's history to be awarded full custody of the children. Now a single parent, Emerson felt it was extremely important that his children have as much structure and consistency in their lives as he could possibly provide. He worked very hard to adhere to a schedule in order to maintain the household and family life for them. He always made sure to check that their schoolwork was completed on time, instill good family values, and impart a strong work ethic in each of them. Emerson felt it was his job to make sure his kids had common sense skills and he made teaching them these skills a priority. Above all else, he was a kind, caring, and compassionate father, who always told his children that they made everything he did to earn money, worthwhile. Although Emerson's job as a father was his priority, he also had to support his children financially. Early on in his career he owned and operated a family restaurant in Holland for five years, but it did not take him long to realize that his heart was not in food service. So, he promptly sold the business and purchased 120 acres of land. Emerson seemed to take after his father. Not only was he multi-talented with construction, management, and planning skills, but he also seemed to have a knack for farming. He toiled for long hours day after day, clearing the land with the equipment he had to literally build his farm from the ground up. His son Steven can remember the days riding around on the tractor with his father as he worked the land. By the time Emerson was finished he had created a booming agriculture enterprise with over 500 pigs and other livestock, including cattle. What he had achieved single-handedly was nothing short of extraordinary. He always told his children that he would make it in life and that he did. After running his successful farming business for 30-years, he finally chose to retire and focus on his life's passion, horses. He had an amazing gift when it came to horses and he chose to use it on the animals that nobody else wanted, training and preparing them for racing at the track. He could turn the most unwanted horse into the most sought after winner. Emerson spent many years watching his beauties run hard for the prize, and these moments were some of his most treasured. Although words can speak of all the enduring qualities that made Emerson the person that he was, they cannot begin to capture all of the fond memories that will forever remain in the hearts and minds of all his friends and family. Mr. Emerson Leeuw, age 73, died Sunday, July 16, 2006. Surviving are his two sons, Jack Sankey of MN & Steven Leeuw of Grand Haven; three daughters, Christi Roesler of MN, Rachel (Ron) Ellison of Grand Haven & Rebecca Mathews of Grand Haven; ten grandchildren; two great grandchildren; two sisters, Dorothy Mokma of Wyoming, MI & Norma Vanderkolk of CA; 4 brothers, Marvin,Vernon, Ivan & Howard Leeuw all of Zeeland, MI. He was preceded in death by his parents & a sister, Mary Ann Wyngarden. A service will be held on Thursday, July 20, 2006, 3:00 PM, at the Clock Chapel with Pastor Gary Lacy officiating. Interment will be at Robinson Township Cemetery. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, 6-8 PM at Clock Life Story Funeral Home. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Holland. Please visit Emerson's personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may sign the online guest book or archive a favorite memory.