Gerald John Tornga
January 25, 1915 - November 6, 2008
Obituary
Gerald John Tornga
January 25, 1915 – November 6, 2008
Gerald was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan to Dutch immigrants Jan John and Winnifred Tornga. He was third of six children. Gerald was musically talented in voice and instruments, playing every woodwind and every brass instrument. Due to his mother dying when he was ten years old and the start of the great depression, there wasn’t money for him to pursue higher training.
After graduating in 1933, he worked for eight years on a large dairy farm for Mr. Blasser, an old German farmer who Gerald told many great stories about. He served as a Staff Sergeant in the Air Force. Being a ‘sharp-shooter’ he probably would’ve been a sniper had they not discovered a heart murmur which excluded him from combat. He served as a plane mechanic on Guam until 1946.
In 1949, he entered LeTourneau College in Longview, Texas. While there, he attended his church’s Young Adults Class led by Miss Marguerite Roberts. They began a friendship. Although in 1950 he was recalled by the Air Force during the Korean war and was relocated, they wrote every single day for one year.
They married June 2, 1951. Two months later he was discharged. He re-entered LeTourneau College 1951 – 1954. While attending, Gerald and Marguerite were dorm parents. Roger was born in 1953. While they were there, they heard of a ministry up in Seattle called King’s Garden and felt called. Gerald as a printer and Marguerite as a junior high teacher. They arrived in Seattle, October of 1954, living on campus and receiving room and board and $30.00 per month, if they had it.
Soon Marlene, a thirteen year old student of Marguerite’s, came to live in their home. Shortly after that Lois was born in 1955. Craig was born in 1957, and the twins, Mary and Martha were born in 1959.
Gerald worked for the King’s Print Shop 13 years 1954-1966 and then at Shoreline School District Print Shop 19½ years. He retired January 25, 1985, on his 70th birthday.
Every Monday through Saturday, from the fall of 1988 until two weeks ago, , Gerald greeted in the six dining rooms at Breakfast Time in the Senior Community at CRISTA.
The fondest memory I have of Gerry and Marguerite is the evening we spent together at Ivar’s Salmon House in 2000. Their love, compassion, and outreach are sorely missed. By the way, Gerry… I don’t know if they have pockets in the heavenly robes grin. To Roger, Marlene, Lois, Craig, Mary, and Martha: My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Rest in peace ‘young fella’, say hello to our girl for me.
Little Fadero! What a joy it was to have you in our home this year. We loved our times with you and will forever cherish the memories. Thank you for faithfully loving us. It means the world to have known you and to have been loved by you. I couldn’t have asked for a better father-in-love nor Roger for a better father. Your almost-daily letters encouraged us and lifted our spirits on many occasions. You always thought you weren’t as popular as Mom T. I think you’d be surprised to find just how many people thought the world of you too! Thank you for loving and blessing your family with your presence this past year. I’m so glad you and Mom are once again united in Christ! Literally! We rest in the promise that we will see both of you again on that day when we will stand before our Lord! Have a great time, Fadero! We will miss you. Your adoring daughter-in-law, Jana
There was a celebration in heaven November 6th when Gerry came home. He was a wonderful christian man. I loved the way he said ‘GOD’. I will miss him. But I’m glad he is home with ‘His Jesus and wonderful wife.
Dear Roger and Family:
Eventhough I never knew your father and since I have no personal memories of him, I would like to share with you this tribute. I do have memories of what Our Father has told us: ”The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, and He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zeph. 3:17 and this one: ”The Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Rov. 7:17
Oh, I am so grateful that Our Father gave Mr. Tornga to you and that He is in a wonderful place now. Roger and Jana, and all the other relatives, I love you and will keep you in my prayers. We have such a blessed Father who holds us in the Shadow of His Wings.
God bless each one of you during these coming days.
In His Love,
Jan
Good bye Grandpa, we will see you in heaven again. Thank you for being one of my biggest supporters, I am glad my family and sons got to spend time with you. love Richy we will play basketball together in heaven.
Grandpa Tornga it was a pleasure to meet you and to be able to spend time and listen to your wisdom is a joy. i will rejoice for you now. Love Angie
Great pa pa Tornga we love you and we are gonna miss you. thanks for coming to texas. love Robert,jared,winter,landon roman and herbie.
For God so loved me, that He gave me Gerald John Tornga as my Father. He was a channel of my Heavenly Father’s love for me during all 56 years of the time we shared on earth. He was my most faithful of all friends, for a friend loveth at all times. Whether I made him proud or embarrassed, he continued to minister love. Letters were penned on an almost daily basis for 15 years with devotionals and snipets of life on Dayton Ave. My greatest hope in life is to be more like both my Fathers which are in Heaven. Thank you, Father God, for the gift of purity and love I received in the person of Gerald John Tornga.
I guess I’m writing this to the Tornga children, since you’re the ones left on earth to grieve, while your parents are in heaven by the sea of crystal waving palm branches with so many other of our loved ones. I just want to share how much I loved my Uncle Gerald and Aunt Marguerite and all of you guys so much. I always felt as though I was part of your family when with you guys, because you are so loving and welcoming. Even a year ago, right before your mom died, when I hadn’t been able to see any of you for years, I was so blessed to spend that long day with you, even being able to pray together. What a blessing to have parents who have walked with the Lord with you, and with so many others of us.
I’ve talked to my students about my memories of both of your godly parents this week, as I’ve been remembering and grieving, and we’ve all been praying for you in this time of double loss of both parents now. I pray for the whole extended family and hope and pray that I’ll be able to spend time with you again at some later date. But for now, know that I count myself blessed to have known your parents and to have known you as family. And I rejoice that we will all be in heaven together someday as God’s family. Your parents are also blessed to see how you are carrying on their legacy of faith. My love and prayers to all of you, as you walk in the footsteps of faith of your father and mother.
Love,
Lisa Bouma Garvelink
I am Jean Blaser Owens from Lowell, Mi. My father Albert Blaser was the person Gerald worked for on the dairy farm for eight years. I was just a little girl of seven to fifteen years old when Gerald was with us on the farm. Gerald helped me with my homework from school. We played games-ping pong , croquet and Bible games. Gerald sang duets with my mother in church, funerals and weddings.
In the past few years Gerald and Marguerite made several trips to Grand Rapids to visit us and relatives. We drove them to Lowell to visit the farm and the Blaser cemetery, and other friends. We had meals together and sang hymns. We had enjoyable times together. We will miss there visit. Jean & Gerry Owens