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Deborah Lamers

1951 - 2025

Deborah Lamers obituary, 1951-2025, Grand Haven, MI

BORN

1951

DIED

2025

FUNERAL HOME

Deborah Lamers Obituary

Deborah Ann (Stinson) Lamers, born May 24, 1951, died peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones following a long, courageous battle with cancer on March 28, 2025.

Debbie will be remembered for her fun and mostly inappropriate sense of humor, the love she had for her children, and as a season ticket holder for over 30 years - her love of Grand Valley State Football - especially her favorite Grand Valley player of all time, #86, split end, Michael Lamers.

Debbie started dating the love of her life, Mike, while she was in her "long black hair down to her butt era" when she was working at Meijer, or as us Midwesterners like to call it, Meijers. She worked at the company for over 36 years.

They wed in an epic Michigan blizzard on December 8th, 1972, and were happily married for the past 52 years. They started their life together in Standale, and then moved to Grand Haven, had a couple kids, and moved from the little yellow house on North Cedar Drive to the blue house on Osborn Street and then added one more kid. They raised their family on ten little acres in the woods and they were happy. Over the years they added an endless parade of cats, a handful of dogs, mostly beagles, and a pool. Their kids went off into the world to be hard working people with happy lives and there isn't anything else a mother really wants for her children.

In her younger years, Debbie enjoyed playing softball and doing ceramics, but her clumsy kids broke most of her pieces. Debbie liked playing B-I-N-G-O, but she REALLY loved yelling "B-I-N-G-O!" She also loved Margarita Mondays at El Aztecas in Allendale and a good medium rare prime rib from The Crazy Horse in Holland.

She was an avid reader of trashy romance novels, and a dedicated watcher of Law and Order {In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups. The police who investigate crime and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories. DUN DUN}.

She enjoyed traveling, especially to Las Vegas to visit Josh and road trips to Okoboji, Iowa the past few years to celebrate the 4th of July, as well as special vacations over the years with Mike to Aruba, and to the exotic destinations of Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and in 2004, a Mediterranean cruise with Mike and Josh to Barcelona, Nice, Monaco, Rome, and Naples.

In recent years, Nana enjoyed nothing more than watching her grandsons in their endless choir, theater and sporting events. And she was at them all; on the bleachers, in the auditorium, at the stadium, on the sidelines, in the rain, or the scorching heat and all while recovering from chemo treatments. She was there cheering and funding trips to the concession stands with endless dollar bills for snacks and slushies.

When she was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer in February 2024, she didn't know if she would see that spring season of baseball, or soccer, or the school play or spring choir concerts. She wasn't expecting to see any GVSU or Allendale football that fall, but she was there for all of it. And as the cherry on top, she got the entire winter season of wrestling. Everyone was grateful for the extra seasons. The extra days. The extra hours.

Debbie loved her family, her country, the veterans who sacrificed so much for all of us, the police officers who protect us, and the greatest president of all time, Donald J. Trump. Debbie was so happy to have lived long enough to cast her vote in the 2024 presidential election and then thrilled to make it to inauguration day! If you didn't smile then be sure to think of Debbie when you see those winning "Barron 2044!" signs in your future.

Debbie is survived by her faithful husband Mike; her children, Joshua (Corlie) Lamers of Henderson, NV, Morgan (Kevin) Cisler of Allendale, MI, and Katie (Steven) TerMolen of Grand Haven, MI. Grandchildren, Thomas, William, Michael and Jameson Cisler and Ava and Alice TerMolen. She leaves behind her best friends of more than fifty years, Doris Damaska, Mary Michalski and Janis Van Bennekom.

She is also survived by siblings; Mary McMillan, Sharon Weber, Walter (Brenda) Stinson, Theresa Lahring, Edward (Margie) Stinson, Tina (Franz) Blattner, and brother-in-law Del (Ann) Lamers. She was preceded in death by her brother, Reinhold (Edith) Weidner, and her niece, Jennifer McConnon. She will be warmly remembered as Aunt Wonderful by her nieces and nephews; Meghan Hershberger, Allison Watson, Matt, Aaron, and Anna Stinson, Carli England, Victoria Mense, Andrew Stinson, Christian, Andreas, and Thorsten Weidner.

We are certain that Mom was greeted at the pearly gates by "that damn dog" Libby and welcomed home to heaven by her very beloved grandmother, Catherine and of course, Jesus.

Please join Debbie's wonderful and somewhat Catholic family for an up and down, up and down, up and down funeral mass at St Luke's University Parish near the campus of GVSU in Allendale at 11am on Tuesday, April 15th, 2025.

Visitation with family and friends will be held one hour prior to the mass at 10am.

Luncheon will follow the mass.

St Luke's University Parish
10144 42nd Ave
Jenison, MI 49428

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Debbie's honor to her favs: The Tunnel to Towers Foundation and GVSU Athletics.

Arrangements through The VanZantwick Chapel of Sytsema Funeral and Cremation Services, 620 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI. 49417. Please consider signing the family's online guestbook and share memories at: sytsemafh.com

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Muskegon Chronicle from Apr. 3 to Apr. 5, 2025.

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3 Entries

Shari

April 5, 2025

I, too, did not know this lady but she sounds like someone I would have enjoyed knowing! Whoever wrote her obit did a wonderful job of expressing what a fun person she was! Condolances to all her families and friends..everyone needs a friend or family member like she was. Shari

Patty & John Walwood

April 5, 2025

Your Katie and our son David went to school together and we´ve been neighbors for many years. I´m so sorry for your loss of your beautiful wife, mom, grandmother and friend. I wish we had gotten to know her better, we probably would´ve gotten in a lot of trouble together. Praying for you in this time of grief.

Judy

April 4, 2025

I didn't know her but I am sorry for your loss. She sounds like a fun person and lived life to the fullest.
Who ever did her write up did an awesome job!

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Memorial Events
for Deborah Lamers

Apr

15

Visitation

10:00 a.m.

St. Luke's University Parish

MI

Apr

15

Funeral Mass

11:00 a.m.

St. Luke's University Parish

MI

Funeral services provided by:

Sytsema Funeral & Cremation Services - The VanZantwick Chapel

620 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417

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