Person:Claude Kemink (1)

Obituary Dr. C.J. Kemink, 42-Yr.-Old Oral Surgeon, Passes

 Dr. Claude J. Kemink, 823 Washington St., widely known Muskegon dentist and oral surgeon, passed away this morning in Grand Rapids after an illness of two months.
  He was 42 years old and the father of five children under 10.
  For the past several weeks he was receiving medical care at the home of a brother-in-law and sister, Dr. and Mrs. W. C. Beets, 2221 Jefferson Drive S.E., Grand Rapids, where he died at 9 a.m.
 Dr. Kemink was vitally interested in church and community affairs and a tireless worker for religious causes.  As president of the Grand Haven Christian School Board two years ago, he was a leader in the new school building program.
   He was a member of the new school building committee and worked countless hours throughout the construction period, during evenings and on the Wednesday he was away from his Muskegon office.

Born in Grand Rapids

   Dr. Kemink was born in Grand Rapids, July 21, 1910, and as an infant moved to Shelby with his parents where his father was a tailor.  He was graduated from Shelby High School in 1928, attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids for three years, and then the University of Michigan dental school for three years.
   Following his graduation from the dental school in 1934, he continued in post graduate work in oral surgery for another three years before starting to practice in Muskegon in 1937.
   He was married to JennaV Laug of Coopersville on April 4, 1942.  Before World War II when he enlisted in the Army dental corps, the family resided in Muskegon where Dr. Kemink was a member of the Bethany Christian Reformed Church, the Muskegon County Dental Society, the Torch Club and the Y's Men's club.
  Discharged as a major, he served for four years in the armed forces, first at Ft. Leonard Wood Mo. from July 2, 1942, to February of 1945 and later was transferred to Cushing General Hospital at Framingham, Mass., where he specialized in maxilo-facial surgery until discharged from the Army in February of 1946.

Moved here in 1946

   At the time Dr. Kemink returned to practice in Muskegon in 1946, he purchased a home in this city where the family resides at 923 Washington St.  He enjoyed hunting and fishing.
   He was a member of the Second Christian Reformed Church here and had served as a deacon and a member of the church building committee when a new addition was erected and improvements were made to the sanctuary several years ago.
  He was a member of the Phi Alpha Kappa Fraternity and several years ago served as chairman of the Calvin College fund drive in his own church.
   Surviving besides the wife JennaV are four daughters, Claudia, 9; Joanne, 8; Janice, 6; Christine, 2; and a son John, 3; three brothers, George and Ralph, both of Grand Rapids and Theodore of Shelby; a sister, Mrs. W.C. Beets, Grand Rapids.
   The funeral service is to be held from the Second Christian Reformed Church on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.  Dr. John Kromminga, former local pastor and now of Calvin College, Grand Rapids, will have charge with interment in the Lake Forest Cemetery.
   Friends may call at the Kinkema Funeral Home where the body is to repose until Saturday morning and then be moved to the church to lie at rest until the service.
   The pallbearers will be Dr. Scott T. Holmes, Dr. Joel Vugteveen, Dr. Raymond A. Hilt, Dr. L.L. Loder, Dr. Leland Swenson, and Charles Hahn, all of Muskegon.
 Source: Grand Have Daily Tribune, Wednesday, December 17, 1952, pg 1.

Cause of death was a brain tumor.

Grand Have Daily Tribune, Wednesday, December 17, 1952, pg 1.