John Klifman

January 19, 1932 - September 25, 2011

MCBAIN - John Klifman of Lake City Went home to be with his Lord on September 25, 2011 at Cadillac Mercy Hospital. He was 79. He was born on January 19, 1932, in Richland Township to Henry and Freida (Lucas) Klifman. He married Elizabeth “Ellie†Vanderlaan on October 14, 1982, in Grand Rapids. He retired in 1983 after 30 years working as an electrician for the City of Grand Rapids. He had previously served as a deacon on the board at the Comstock Park Christian Reformed Church. He was most recently a member of the Bucking ham Presbyterian Church in Fort Meyers, FL where he spent the winter. While in Lake City for the summer, they attended the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. He was a lifetime member of the Buckley Steam Show. He enjoyed hunting and going to the shack by McBain. He liked woodworking, having coffee with his friends, tinkering, auctions, flea markets and helping Hartley Benson with his horses. He enjoyed making his rounds and visiting with all his friends. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth “Ellie†Klifman of Lake City; children, Harvey (Teresa) Klifman of Alma, D. Craig Klifman of Grand Rapids, Diane (Gary) Ergang of Grand Rapids, Tim Klifman of East Lansing, Sheryl (Mark) Offringa of Grandville, Jennifer (Jim) Jensen of Boyne City, Yvonne Matthis of Grand Rapids, Marian (Al) Young of Wyoming, and Mike (Audra) Schaap of LaHabra, CA; 21 Grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren; siblings, Fen(Whiley) Timmerman of Middleville, Florence Pals of Hudsonville, Hank (Wilma) Klifman of Grandville, and Eleanor (Roger) Rozeveld of Hudsonville; in-laws, Earl Shepers of Hudsonville, and Howard Dunbar of Phoenix, Ariz., Dorothy Klifman of Byron Center, Vern Johnson of Cadillac, Terrri Shiffmaker and Otto Vanderlaan both of the Netherlands; and mother-in-law, Sylvia Vanderlaan of the Netherlands. He was preceded in death by siblings, Gerrit Klifman, Freida Dunbar, George (Marian) Klifman, Henrietta Schepers, Leonard Klifman, Mary Johnson and a brother-in-law, Willem Pals. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, September 30, 2011, at the Lake City Evangelical Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Don VanDyke officiating. Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday at the Burkholder Funeral Home in McBain. Interment will be in the Lucas Cemetery and a service will be held at 2 p.m. Memorial contributions can be made to the local American Heart Association. An online guestbook is available at www.petersonfh.com