He was preceded in death by his parents Maurice and Betty Jane Van Zoeren; infant baby sisters Karen and Susan; parents-in-law Ralph and Alice Schelling; sisters- and brothers-in-law Harriet (Donald) Hoogerwerf, Wanetta (Jerald) Czarnecki, Emma DeRuiter, Larry Langston, and John Schelling. Tom is survived by his wife Alisa ("Lisa"); daughter, Amanda Nyenhuis (Eric Sankey); grandson, Blake ("Bud") Nyenhuis; granddaughter Alyssa ("Princess") Nyenhuis; brother-in-law, Richard DeRuiter; sisters-in-law Joanne Langston, Carol (Terry) Glass, Amanda Schelling; and several nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
On August 28, 1999, Tom married the love of his life, Lisa, and became Amanda's dad. As the family grew, he enjoyed becoming a papa. Tom enjoyed bowling and playing golf. He loved watching the Tigers, Lions, and rooted for the University of Michigan. GO BLUE! Before his retirement, he worked several years with Butternut Bakery and worked part-time in retail stores. During his battle with cancer, he used his faith, along with family and friends, to guide him through. Tom loved family trips and taking his grandkids on adventures. He loved spending days baking with his wife and enjoyed eating it more. He loved taking his daughter to many Michigan lighthouses. Tom and his wife enjoyed building their garden together. He loved challenging himself by solving word and number puzzles.
Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Friday, August 21, 2026, at Cook Funeral Home (Byron Center Chapel), 2067 84th St. SW, Byron Center, MI 49315. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, August 22, 2026 at the Byron Center Chapel, with visitation from 10-11 a.m. prior to the service. A luncheon will follow. The family welcomes memories and messages at www.cookcaresbyron.com in their online guestbook.
