Pete was born September 14, 1938, the son of Albert and Agnes (Wyngarden) Schuitema, in Holland MI. He was a skilled mechanic and in 1963, was recruited to work as a service rep for the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors, which he did for 20 years. Starting in Lansing, MI, he and the family were transferred to Beaumont, TX and then to Kansas City, MO. Pete later became an instructor at the GM Training Center, which he thoroughly enjoyed for the next 15 years.
Pete was married to Andrea Kay Rowell, also of Holland, for 56 years. They met in band class and both had a life-long love of music and dancing. Pete was a drummer and played in a dance band for several years.
Pete was a dedicated family man who loved and supported his 5 children in all their endeavors. He was a Boy Scout leader and Band Parent member and President, who followed his kids across the country to band competitions. He and Andrea supported all their grandchildren in their endeavors as well, attending concerts, sporting and music competitions.
Pete was kind, compassionate, and willing to help anyone, whether he knew them or not. He enjoyed telling jokes, family vacations, camping, fishing, traveling, pool parties in the backyard, playing cards with friends and family, working on cars and doing projects around the house. During retirement, Pete and Andrea enjoyed traveling in their RV and spending time with their kids and grandkids.
Pete was preceded in death by his mother and father, his wife Andrea, daughter-in-law Cynthia Schuitema and grandchildren Renee Schroeder, Dillon Haugh and Daniel Schuitema.
Survivors include children Karen Schroeder, Thomas Schuitema, Todd Schuitema, Kay Andreasen and Kelly (Kevin) Haugh, 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, sister-in-law Lucille Aldrich, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Leonard and Ann Rowell.
Visitation will be held at 12:00 noon, followed by a Celebration of Life at 1:00 PM on November 30, 2019 at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Homes Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64131.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care at https://www.kchospice.org/donation/
