Andre Johannes Visser

Andre Johannes Visser was my best friend, my partner in crime, my husband of 46 years, and the patriarch of our blended family consisting of 5 adult children, 9 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren, and he lived a blessed life. He will be greatly missed by those who loved him and all of those that he was a blessing to. And I also need to add those that he worked with at General Motors, his working family; those that worked under him knew him as the "BBMFIC".

So I would like to share his story with you because we all have unique stories to tell. His story began with his birth in Antwerp, Belgium. The Germans arrived in Holland while his mother (being pregnant with him) and his father vacationing in Belgium because of this invasion his parents were unable to return home and so they had to make Belgium their home until it was safe for them to return to Holland. In his later years, he shared harrowing memories with us, including when bombs meant for English fell short and landed in Antwerp. He was so grateful for the United States for all they had done to bring the war to a successful conclusion. When he was able to migrate to America, it was a dream come true for him and his family. A great deal of damage was done to the city of Antwerp, and he recalled the air raids and the sirens going off and the times he had to hurry to take cover in the bomb shelters. He enjoyed sharing many precious memories of his life with his family: growing up in Holland, spending time with his Opa at the harbor, sailing with his cousin on the lake, and visits with his Oma. A special highlight was riding on the beer wagon through town. Then he came to America, and what an adventure that was. When he arrived here, he was already in college, but once here in America he was put back in high school. During this time, before and after school, he worked at the family bakery, making deliveries to various stores that sold their goods. These are some of the moments that shaped him into the man that he was. He didn't see himself working in the family business, so he set his sights on General Motors. He began his GM career as a security guard at the Southgate, California plant, but that job only lasted six months. Again, he had his sights on higher goals; he became a supervisor at 23 years old and was the youngest supervisor in history without a college degree at GM; this occupational journey he loved. The trait of working hard and being the best version of yourself is one of many traits his children say that inspired them to want to repeat in their own careers. After the Southgate plant closed he was transferred to the Wentzville plant in Missouri from there he was transferred to Michigan to the Buick City plant and after that closed he went to the Hamtramck plant in Detroit. And as they say, the rest is history. In those forty-six years that he spent working at GM, he worked his way up through the higher levels of management within Logistics. He enjoyed his retirement but I often hear him say that he loved his career and he missed working with the many great men and women that made that place a fun place to work. When you enjoy what you do it wasn't work at all. This was something else hubby use to say. After officially retiring in 2006, Andy became a consultant, working with third-party companies in Germany and Mexico, acting as a liaison. He continued this part of his career until 2013. It was at the time he received his calling to mount his trusty iron steed and dedicate his time to create and maintain the perfect lawn. Other talents that he had included being the family's "Handy Andy" by personalizing his kids homes into their personal havens - he did carpentry work, painting, and did a variety of remodeling jobs. He was a self taught wood worker and built different pieces of furniture which gave him a great deal of satisfaction and his family have heirlooms to treasure and pass down to their families.

At this time my family and I would like to thank the dedicated medical team; all the doctors, especially the nursing staff, and the techs on the 12 floor at McLaren Hospital, in Flint, who gave their best to make sure Andy was well cared for and looked after. We will be having a celebration of Andy's Life Service on Saturday, July 11, 2026 at Bridgewood Church, 10291 Green Road, Goodrich, Michigan at 11 am. I would like to express a very special thank you to Hill Funeral Home for their support and assistance in taking care of Andy. They handled everything with such care and compassion you knew you were in good hands. To all these people that have helped my family and myself you have been such a blessing through this journey and I am so very grateful.

"My dad, Andre Johannes Visser, was one of my greatest role models, my protector, and my biggest cheerleader. He always pushed me to be better, to work harder, to be independent, and, as he liked to remind me, to take no shit from anyone. Those lessons became the foundation of who I am today. One of the things he encouraged me to do was continue on to finish my nursing degree. Even when I wanted to quit, he wouldn't let me give up. I'll be crossing that finish line because he believed I could, and I know he'll be smiling somewhere, probably saying, "I told you so." He taught me that strength doesn't have to be loud, that hard work matters, and that family always comes first. I miss him more than words can express, but I hear his voice in my head every day, reminding me to keep going and to hold my head high. I am so proud to be my father's daughter, and I'll carry his love, his wisdom, and his stubborn determination with me for the rest of my life. His legacy lives on in all of us who were lucky enough to know and love him." ~ One of his children.