John Junior Buursma

Towers in St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at 6 p.m. Monday at Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph, with Dr. Carlos Page officiating. Friends may call from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. A private family service for the burial of ashes will be held at North Shore Memory Gardens, Coloma. Memorials may be made to Berrien County Cancer Service or Hospice at Home. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Mr. Buursma was born April 6, 1922, in Holland to John and Wilhemina (VerSchure) Buursma. He served his country during World War II in the U.S. Army. On Nov. 24, 1948, he married the former Evalyn Durham in Hopkins, Mich. John was employed by St. Joseph Public School for 30 years, retiring in 1980. During his career, he taught English, history and driver’s ed, and coached ninth-grade football and basketball at St. Joseph High School. Mr. Buursma is survived by two sons, Al (Kristi) Buursma of Stevensville, John (Kathy) Buursma of St. Joseph; three daughters — Kay Morrow of St. Joseph, Sue (John) Pickar of Dowagiac, Pat Burkett and her fianc/, Eric Morris of South Bend, Ind.; 13 grandchildren — Andrew, Laura, Joshua, Kyle, Abby and her husband, Ted, Evan, Patrick, Maureen, Jennifer, Jillian, Kelsey, Benjamin and Joanna; one great-granddaughter, Jocelyn; one brother, Leonard (Sue) Buursma of Holland, Mich.; and a brother-in-law, Ade Van Patten of Holland. John was preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Evalyn, on March 29, 2003, his parents, and a brother and a sister.