Jack Bouman Obituary, Death – Jack W. Bouman, 80, of Holland, Michigan, died on December 21, 2022, accompanied by his family. Alvin and Hazel (Brower) Bouman gave birth to him on March 31, 1942, in Holland, Michigan. Before he was born, his parents, brother, Paul Bouman, and sister, Judy Versendaal, all died. Scott (Joannie) Bouman, Sheri Stroh, Christi Maki, and Jennifer (Steven) Maynard are Jack’s four children. Michelle Bronson, Joe Maki (Samantha Jo Gager), Jenna Maki, Jessica Maki (Evan Schriner), Shelby Stroh (Greyson Nordeste), Alison (Andrew) VanDeWalker, Sydney Stroh, Jackson Heglar, and one great-grandson, Colton Bronson, are among his eight grandchildren. His nieces and nephews are all very close to him, as are Lynn Bouman, his sister-in-law; Laura Canan and her two daughters, Dani and Lainey; and his nieces and nephews.
Jack was a prosperous real estate agent. He began selling real estate with Woodland Realty in 1973 and was promoted to Sales Manager in 1979. Woodland Realty, which he and four partners purchased in 1981, was regularly one of the top-generating real estate companies in Western Michigan during his supervision. Woodland was purchased by the Schmidt Family of Companies in 2006 and rebranded Coldwell Banker Woodland Schmidt. Jack was the CEO of the company for over ten years.
Jack has received numerous honors and distinctions for his dedication to real estate and community service. He was named #1 Salesperson multiple times, Realtor of the Year, Small Business Person of the Year, received the 1997 Sam Walton Business Leader Award, the 2002 WMLAR Lifetime Achievement Award, and the National Association of Realtors REALTOR Emeritus Award in 2017. He was also given the ATHENA prize in 1996. (This is the first time a male has received this prize). He was also in charge of the construction of various Holland/Zeeland communities, including Tiffany Shores, Tiffany Ridge, and Greystone Estates. He was quite proud of his achievements, but he always gave credit to others and enjoyed watching others succeed.
To mention a few, Jack has served on community boards and provided time and resources to various non-profit organizations, including United Way, Boys & Girls Club, Center for Women in Transition (now known as Resilience), Outdoor Discovery Center, and Ottawa/Allegan Wildlife Association. Jack has also been a member of Christ Memorial Church for a long time. Jack enjoyed spending time with his family. In warm climates, he enjoyed gourmet dining, yachting, golfing and spending time with his family.