Jeronimo Visser

VISSER, Mr. Jeronimo "Roon"
Kalamazoo, Michigan Passed away at Rose Arbor Hospice in Kalamazoo on August 25, 2008. Roon was born in Enschede, the Netherlands, on May 6, 1918, the son of Nicolaas and Mathilde de Vries Visser. He graduated from the Higher Textile School in Enschede and earned a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Delft the Netherlands and advanced degrees in microbiology Delft and biochemistry University of Wisconsin, where he studied on Brittingham and Fulbright grants. Roon worked as a research scientist at Philips Duphar in the Netherlands and for 28 years as a research scientist at the Upjohn Company, where he received the William E. Upjohn Award for special accomplishments in 1970. He was a member of the American Chemical Society and the Society of Microbiology. Roon was an avid participant in sports and excelled in field hockey and cricket in the Netherlands, where he played for the Dutch International Traveling Cricket Team and was selected to play for the Dutch National Cricket Team. Roon's passions included reading, classical music, stamp collecting, photography, woodworking, gardening and family camping. He was an active and committed community volunteer, touching many people's lives through his service to Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes, Ministry with Community, Hospice Care of SW Michigan, Meals on Wheels and his active service through Westminster Presbyterian Church in Portage, where he was an ordained elder, deacon and Stephen minister. Roon was preceded in death by his sister, Elizabeth, and brother, Nicolaas. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Olga "Olly" Pollak Visser; their children, Ineke Visser Way of Kalamazoo, Liz Visser and Elisabeth Hoffman of Columbia, MD, Renée Visser of Grand Rapids and David and Karen Guarisco Visser of Edwardsburg, MI; and three grandsons, Anders and Nico Visser and Julian Hoffman-Mateya. Two memorial services are planned: Thursday, August 28, at 11 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1515 Helen Street, Portage, and Saturday, August 30, at 3 p.m. at the KIVA of Friendship Village, 1400 Drake Road, Kalamazoo. The family invites you to share in the services and suggests for your consideration a donation to Skyridge Church of the Brethren, the Friends Fund of Friendship Village or the organizations for which he volunteered. Arangements were made by the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 622 S. Burdick St. www.langelands.com . 343-1508.