Julian "Bud" Arthur Visser

April 12th, 1934 - July 20th, 2020

Julian "Bud"'s Memory Wall

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Joan and entire Visser family,
Extending our sympathy, we fondly remember Bud from our 23 years in South Haven. He was a man of integrity, of deep faith in Jesus, sharing encouragement and hospitality to all who entered into his life, hard working wherever he went, loyal to Hope Church and the South Haven community. And, yes, our family had many bikes purchased from him over the years, one being the small one of John's that our son Paul used to learn to ride a two-wheeler. Many memories. Our love and prayers, John and Marylin Bright, Holland MI

John and Marylin Bright

Bud and I were very good friends and spent many hours together driving back and forth to Kalamazoo while I was teaching at Kalamazoo Community College, and he was a “head hunter” for some company I don’t remember. I remember the building he worked in was hit by a tornado that went along M-43 all the way from South Haven to K’zoo, but he had stayed home that day, as I recall. A good thing since that tornado blew out many of the windows in that building.

Because Bud had been suffering from some sort of dementia for a long time, we were not able to talk for several years. I can’t remember the last time we were able to have a conversation even over the phone. The last few times I tried to call, I only talked with his wife. Bud was a wonderful mentor and friend. He was one of the people who encouraged me to go to seminary. Whenever I sounded like I was hesitant (reluctant?) his advice was, “Make the decision (to go), and let God bless you!” That was some of the best advice I ever had!

Around 1989 or so, Bud and I survived an almost head-on winter-time collision by a drunk driver — hit-and-run — while I was driving our blue Chevy Citation (a total loss). That driver was caught, but I don’t remember what happened to him as a result. Because the road was icy, I believe that collision was not any worse than it could have been, as we only suffered a couple scratches as my car bounced off the truck (it had a snow plow on the front) that hit us and sent us into a snow bank. But, somehow every window in that car was broken!

Bud was one of the many men God continually put in my life from my early youth until today — from my Sunday School in the late 1940’s in Taylor, MI, through my Detroit years, and even after Judy and I were married. There was only one gap in that list as I recall, and that was during my military years (1966-1970), but it resumed shortly after when Judy and I moved to South Haven (1971) and I eventually met Bud when we started began worshiping at Hope Reformed Church.