Robert Henry Mulder

Robert Henry Mulder ("Bob"), age 94, passed peacefully to meet his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on July 16, 2025. After graduating from Wyoming High School, he served in the Navy during the Korean Conflict. Coming home on furlough, he married MaryAnn Kuperus in 1953. Upon returning from serving his country, he began taking classes at Davenport College. He then began his career in the wholesale oil distribution business where he served the West Michigan community for over 45 years. Because of his deep love for his Lord, he was very active in serving his church, through music, playing his saxophone, ministering to missionaries through word and deed, as well as spending many summers with MaryAnn serving in the kitchen at youth camps throughout the state. Bob and MaryAnn enjoyed many years of traveling locally and abroad with friends and family. Summers usually were spent with those same friends and family out on area golf courses with a dinner out afterwards. Bob was a devoted husband, dad, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend, whose legacy of service, love, and laughter lives on in the many lives he touched. He never missed an opportunity to share his latest joke.

He will be greatly missed by his wife of 72 years, MaryAnn; sister, Gladys VanNoord; brother-in-law, Herb Steigenga; sister-in-law, Barb Kuperus; children Janis VanderWal, Dann and Michelle Mulder, Mark and Virginia Mulder; grandchildren Joel and Jenifer Fields, JR and Rachel VanderWal, JD and Heather VanderWal, Zak and Mary Mulder, Christopher Werra, Kailie and Nicolo Alcamo, Zachary Werra, Samuel and Samantha Mulder, Derek and Maggie Steffen, Charlie and Elisabeth Mulder; great-grandchildren Wesley and Kate Fields, Ashlie Fields, Casey and fiancée Emma Fields, Emma VanderWal, Henry VanderWal, Keira VanderWal, Braya VanderWal, Sylas Mulder, Oliver Mulder, Sadie Mulder, James Mulder, Adia Steffen, Cora Steffen, and Harper Mulder; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son-in-law, John VanderWal; grandson, Alex Mulder; sisters Joyce Groen Steigenga, Gail Persenaire; brothers-in-law Willard Groen, Fred Persenaire, Andrew VanNoord, John Kuperus; and sister-in-law, Evelyn Kuperus. The family wishes to thank the staff at Sunset Senior Communities and West Michigan Hospice for their excellent showing of Christian love and support during Bob’s final days.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at Cook Memorial Chapel (East Building), 4235 Prairie St. SW, Grandville, Michigan. Visitation with family and friends will be held one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers and in memory of Bob, memorial contributions may be made to Mel Trotter Ministries or West Michigan Hospice. The family welcomes memories and messages at www.cookcaresgrandville.com in their guestbook online.