Mr. George V. Yedinak

George Yedinak was a hardworking, fun-loving man, a man so deeply devoted to his wonderful family. George possessed great vision, determination and patience, and most of all, strength. He was a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, and a friend to so many, yet most of all, George was man who would do anything for those he loved, and often did everything. George's story began on a cool winter day in 1920, in the Chicago suburb of Whiting, Indiana. Those were times of such great change in this great nation, as America was still reveling in its victory in World War I, and the Prohibition era began. In the little industrial town of Whiting, just outside Chicago, Joseph and Mary Irene (Kasper) Yedinak had plenty to celebrate that winter. On February 25, 1920, the couple welcomed their third of nine children into the world, a son they named George. When George was just two months old, the family packed up and moved up the Lake Michigan shoreline to Grand Haven, Michigan, where his father became a farmer, and his mother was a homemaker. With seven boys and two girls to feed in their home, the family did everything they could to keep food on the table, particularly during the Great Depression, which struck when George was just nine. The family often hunted and fished for their food, which instilled a lifelong love for the outdoors in young George. The devoutly-Catholic family was exceptionally close-knit, as well. George attended Clark Elementary School in Grand Haven, before attending Grand Haven High School, where he played football and baseball for the Buccaneers. George graduated from Grand Haven in 1938, finding a job at Consumers Power after high school. It was his personal life, not his professional, that was about to get more interesting, however. One day George met a beautiful young girl named Margaret Ann Wiersma - introduced by one of his old girlfriends - and the sparks really flew between them. They began dating, and loved to go polka dancing together. The only problem was, Margaret lived in Grand Rapids, and in those war-torn times of the early 1940s, money and gasoline were tight. So George would save up his gas rationing coupons so he could go visit his beloved Margaret! On September 23, 1944, the happy young couple was married, and they moved into a little apartment on Franklin Street in Grand Haven, the beginning of a wonderful life together, a life full of love, and especially family. The young husband and wife soon became father and mother, as well, with their first child, Jane, born in 1945. George "Butch" followed in 1947, with Mary in '48, Dolores in '51, Florence in '54, Annie in '56, and Teresa in '59, rounding out the large and happy family. As the family grew, George and Margaret finally saved enough and bought their first house, a lovely home in Robinson Township, right on Stearns Bayou, where George and Margaret and the kids spent so much time fishing together. George worked for a time for Construction Aggregates, but in 1950, he and three partners started their own business, called Supreme Machined Products Company, Inc. They started the business in a little garage, but it soon flourished and over the years became a successful venture for them. George worked tirelessly at his business, but while he worked hard, he also played hard. He was a man with many lifelong passions, from playing the guitar ("This Old House," and "You Are My Sunshine," were his favorites), to playing golf, and so much more. He loved hunting, fishing, or riding his motorcycle. He and Margaret always had boats, as well, and they hosted some memorable boating picnics on the river. There was always plenty of fun to be found in their family, though, and anytime George's brothers came to visit it was a day of playtime for the grown boys, who were very close always, and met every Sunday for coffee their whole lives. George and Margaret also shared a special, wonderful marriage, of deep love and devotion to each other. They did a lot of traveling together, including visits to Scotland, Ireland, England and they went to Hawaii to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They were there for each other through good times and bad, as well. The family faced many challenges through the years, and George was always strong enough for them all. When their only son, Butch, was drafted into the service in 1967 and sent to Vietnam, they were so worried about him. George was very protective of his children and later grandchildren. George and Margaret were also struck so hard by the crib death of their 1-year-old granddaughter Karen. With George's strength, they persevered. George was always there for all his family, caring for his sister Florence during her illness, and caring for his ailing parents right up until their deaths. And he cared for his beloved wife when she needed it, too. In 1975, Margaret sadly was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and it affected her mind over the years, in a slow deteriorating process. George lovingly and patiently cared for her at their home, promising never to put her in a nursing home, until she died in 2000, on the day after Thanksgiving. To George, Margaret's death was a blessing, as he felt he'd lost his wife long before that. George battled his own problems over the years, as well, requiring bypass surgery and a pacemaker in 1998. He sold his business in 1980, although he kept working there until 1991! That's the way he was, though. He could never sit still for too long, and always had to keep busy. A heart attack, pneumonia and arthritis further slowed him down in recent years. George sadly died on October 7, 2006, a beautiful, sunny Indian summer Saturday. He was a truly remarkable man, of such incredible selflessness, generosity, and strength. George was a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather, who would do anything for his beloved family, and often did everything for them. He will be so greatly missed. Mr. George V. Yedinak, age 86, died Saturday, October 7, 2006. He was born in Whiting, Indiana on February 25, 1920 to Joseph & Mary Irene (Kasper) Yedinak. SURVIVORS: 1 son, George P. (Lynn) Yedinak of Detroit; 6 daughters, Jane Lange of Holland, Mary Yedinak of Holland, Dolores Yedinak of Grand Haven, Florence (Tom) Veltum of Grand Haven, Ann (Dan) Wagenmaker of Grand Haven & Teresa Yedinak of Grand Haven; 9 grandchildren, Tom Lange, Tim Lange, George P. Yedinak, Jr., David Yedinak, Josephine Marsh, Nathaniel Sowa, Joshua Veltum, Daniel Wagenmaker & Amy Davis; 11 great grandchildren; 4 brothers, William Yedinak of Grand Haven, Richard Yedinak of NH, Eugene (Virginia) Yedinak of SC & Phillip (Bernita) of Grand Rapids; 1 brother-in-law, Peter Dramasino of Grand Haven & several nieces & nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret on November 24, 2000; 2 brothers, Joseph 2 sisters, Florence Yedinak & Helen Dramasino; a granddaughter, Karen Yedinak. SERVICE: Wednesday, October 11, 2006, 12:00 Noon at St. Patrick's Catholic Church with Fr. William Langlois officiating. Interment Lakeshore Cemetery. VISITATION: Tuesday, 2-4 & 7-9 PM at Clock Funeral Home with a Rosary service at 7:30 PM. MEMORIAL: Hospice of Holland or St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to leave a memory or sign the online guest book.