George J. Meilof

George Meilof was a remarkable man, a man with an analytical mind and a subtle sense of humor. He was a man with a passion for facts and figures, yet he always saw the humor in a situation, which he happily shared with the rest of us. George was a devoted husband, loving father and loyal friend to many. George's story began on a warm June day in 1955, a year of great change around the globe. The polio vaccine was introduced, Winston Churchill stepped down, Walt Disney unveiled Disneyland and Ray Kroc opened the first McDonald's. In the charming lakeshore town of Holland, Michigan, Jenna and Ali (Pruiksma) Meilof, a pair of Dutch immigrants, celebrated the birth of a baby boy, a son they named George. George's father worked for BASF in Holland, while his mother worked as a department manager at Meijer's for many years. The family included George's sister Faith as well as several foster children his parents graciously took in. His parents grew up in the Netherlands during the German occupation of World War II, and took part in the Dutch Resistance during the war as well, before emigrating to the U.S. in 1953. George's youth was filled with his parents' incredible stories of hardship and heroism in their homeland, fostering a deep, lifelong passion for history within him. He studied European history religiously, especially that of Friesland, the home of his ancestors. Like so many young boys in America, George spent his summer days playing baseball with the neighbor kids in a field across from his home. But unlike most boys, he spent his summer evenings filling out reams of paper with statistics on all the Detroit Tigers players, which he updated every day.When he was 13, he especially loved following the team, as it won the World Series in 1968. Later in life, he'd use these statistical skills to track the stock market, his new pastime. Growing up, George regaled his friends with baseball statistics and his offbeat sense of humor. He attended West Ottawa High School, where he made many friends before graduating in 1973. After high school, George enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Following his service to his country, George returned to his hometown, where he met a woman named Connie, and was married. The two were soon blessed with George's first child, his daughter Erica. George worked at BASF like his father before him, and remained with the company for more than 20 years in Holland. He enjoyed the company, as well as the camaraderie he formed with his coworkers, especially on the company softball team (Little wonder who the official scorekeeper was, either!). Although George's marriage to Connie ended, he would find love again. One day he was introduced to a beautiful woman named Anne Talsma by her brother Marc, who was a very good friend of George. The three of them spent many evenings together playing trivia at various restaurants in West Michigan, and almost always won, thanks to George's bottomless pool of knowledge. George seemed to know everything about everything, from ancient history, to sports, to historical dates, places or events, amazing everyone around him with his impressive base of knowledge. George and Anne soon fell in love, and were married in September of 1996 after a brief courtship. Just over a year later, in October of 1997, George and Anne were blessed with the birth of a baby boy, a son they named James Gellius. George loved his children and gave great care in choosing the right gifts to make the holidays special. George also loved his wife dearly, and their marriage was a special one. George and Anne would often joke that their marriage was successful because they had few things in common and rarely had a deep conversation, but there was no question of the depth of their love for each other. George's closest confidante was always Anne, who understood him better than anyone. After a little more than two years of marriage, George suddenly had heart failure. Amazingly, his life was saved through the gift of a donated heart. His new heart, for which he and his family were so grateful to the donor and her family, gave George the opportunity to see his son grow from a baby to a boy of eight, and to enjoy the simple pleasures of mochas at Starbuck's and reading the financial newspapers. He and his family lived in Jacksonville, Florida, for the past several years, and he made many warm memories with them there. George's subtle sense of humor was sometimes lost on those around him, but for those who did get the joke, George cracked them up. He had the sweetest smile, and at the end of his life, the doctors and nurses commented that he was simply a nice guy and a "precious patient." Sadly, George died August 5, 2006, in Muskegon, Michigan. He was a remarkable man, with an impressive mind, a unique sense of humor, and a deep love for his family. His life was too short, yet his memory, and his life, live on in the hearts and minds of all who knew him. He will be greatly missed. SURVIVORS - Family: His wife, Anne (Talsma); son, James; mother, Alice; mother-in-law, Kathryn Talsma; brother-in-law and friend, Marc Talsma; daughter, Erica; grandson, Joshua; sister, Faith (Steve) Steketee; sister-in-law, Jenny Talsma; aunts, uncles, nieces & nephews. SERVICE - Friday, August 11, 2006, 1:00 PM at Clock Chapel-Muskegon with Rev. John Bylsma officiating. Interment at Pine Hill Cemetery. VISITATION - Friday, 12-1 PM at Clock Funeral Home - Muskegon. MEMORIAL: Normandy Village United Methodist Child Care Center, 7915 Herlong Rd. Jacksonville, FL, 32210. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to leave a memory or sign the online guest book.