Celebrating Gerrit's Life

Gerrit de Graaf, 82, of Ransom Canyon, Texas went to meet his Lord and Savior on February 7, 2011.

He was born on June 18, 1928 in Leiderdorp, Netherlands and immigrated to California in 1948.  Anna Mae was 14 years old and told her girlfriend about the “cutest green Dutchman” that she’d met at church and that she knew she would marry him someday.  They married in 1953.  He was a dairyman in California until 1997 when they moved to El Paso, TX then Roswell, NM and most recently, Ransom Canyon, TX. They were active members of every church they attended.  At each of those churches, he was likely the choir’s loudest tenor.  

Gerrit was drafted into the US ARMY in 1951.  Shortly after he proposed to Anna Mae, he was sent to serve in the Korean War.  He was honorably discharged in 1953 and married his “Annie” that same year. They have been blessed with a family of 48 loved ones. 

His favorite things were the color yellow, riding bikes, the USA, “Mc Donald” coffee, writing poems, his Dutch heritage, flying kites, buttermilk, the dairy, singing, planting sunflowers, his kids, grandkids, great grandkids, his Anna Mae and most importantly his Savior, Jesus Christ.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Anna Mae; his 5 children - Gary & Donna de Graaf of Pixley, CA; Debbi and Larry Kelley of Roswell, NM; Brad & Barb Bouma of Ransom Canyon, TX; Jon & Carolyn Veenendaal of Plainview, TX; and Brian & Linda de Graaf of Dexter, NM; 15 grandchildren - Dustin (& Janey), Daniel (& Emily), Cary Ann (& Ted), Janelle (& Casey), Travis (& Hilary), Lindsay, Brandon (& Stephanie), Breanne, Brent (& JuLea), Justin, Jeanna (& Steven), Jesse (& Danae), Derek, Austin & Ethan and soon-to-be 15 great grandchildren - Sydney, DJ, Anna Mae, Johnny, Betty Lou, Willemina, Henry, Edith, Anja, Selah, MacKenzie, Cameron, Baby Bouma, Gerrit and Case.

The graveside service will be held Monday at 11am at South Park Cemetery in Roswell for family and close friends.  A celebration service of his well-lived life will be held at First Presbyterian Church in Dexter, NM at 2pm on Monday, February 14th.  Memorial donations can be made in lieu of flowers to Gerrits favorite organizations:

1) Gideons of Roswell - 500 N Main St, Roswell, NM 88201; phone 575-622-4718

or recently his heart has been broken for the orphans in Haiti and around the world.  He said to Anna Mae that he wanted to give more to save orphans.  He said we have plenty here, but they need our help.  You can do that through:

2) Operation HOPE out of Lubbock (operationhopeusa.org) - 4219 34th Street, Lubbock, TX 79410; phone 806-793-4673  

or

3) World Vision (worldvision.org) - give online.