Businessman cruised Route 66 despite illness
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
By Kym Reinstadler
The Grand Rapids Press


GRAND RAPIDS -- A Grand Rapids businessman, who in May parlayed his dream of cruising U.S. Route 66 in a red Corvette into a benefit for Lou Gehrig's disease, died at home Friday of the disease.

Funeral services for John "JJ" Bouma Jr., 54, chairman of the board for Bouma Corp., are 11 a.m. Friday at Calvary Church, 707 East Beltline Ave. NE, with Jim Samra and the Rev. Edward Dobson officiating.

Dobson was Mr. Bouma's pastor at Calvary Church. The two became friends in September 2005, the month the disease forced Dobson to step down from the pulpit.

That was the same month Mr. Bouma was diagnosed with bulbar, an aggressive form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative condition commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

"JJ wanted to share his faith with PALS (persons with ALS) who came out to meet our group in eight states along Route 66," said Doug Bouma, JJ's brother.

"By then, his voice was weak, but Pastor Dobson was there to help when he couldn't get the words out."

With organizational help from longtime friend Ross Luurtsema of ALTL Inc., a local trucking company, the entourage grew to include 42 friends in 13 Corvettes -- many bought specifically to make the trip -- and two motor homes.

The caravan's weeklong, 2,800-mile journey from Chicago to Los Angeles raised $318,000 for ALS research and was photographed for an exhibit and videographed for a documentary about the disease.

"The trip was both exhausting and exhilarating for him," said Pam Bouma, JJ's wife. "It was indicative of how he liked to do things. Nothing was ever just about him."

The couple spent their 1994 honeymoon in Albania, helping to build an orphanage for Bethany Christian Services.

He raised money and helped construct two orphanages in Albania in the 1990s, said JJ's father, John Bouma Sr.

"My brother was like a cheerleader without pompons," Doug Bouma said.

To keep alive his passion to make the world a better place, the Bouma family is setting up a JJ Bouma ALS Clinic Fund at Fifth Third Bank. Memorial contributions will be used to establish a clinic associated with a Grand Rapids hospital to treat West Michigan ALS patients.


Currently, all ALS patients in state go to the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor for treatment, family members said.

About 125 people in West Michigan are known to have ALS, but that's probably a third of the actual number, said Tom Farley, executive director of the ALS Association's West Michigan chapter.

ALS Association has named its cross-country cruise in May 2007 from Los Angeles to Washington in Bouma's honor, Bouma said.

Mr. Bouma graduated in 1970 from East Christian High School and worked in the family business 35 years, including 12 as president and chief executive officer. He was designated chairman of the board a year ago.

The company has two divisions and employs 250 people building commercial interiors and schools in several states, he said.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Bouma is survived by his children and their spouses, Aimee and Ian Mortensen, of Rockford, Jessica Carpenter, of Grand Rapids, Tyler and Melinda Carpenter, of Texas, Scott and Angie Bouma, of Marquette; parents John and Sharon Bouma of Holland and Betty Hall, of Grand Rapids; three grandchildren; and brothers and sisters, Pam and Bob Molenhouse, of Holland, Doug and Trish Bouma, of Ada, and Susan and Timothy Small, of Lancaster, S.C.

Visitation is 5 to 9 p.m. today and 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Matthysse-Kuiper-DeGraaf Funeral Home,

4145 Chicago Drive, Grandville.

To contribute to the ALS fund in Bouma's memory, contact the ALS Association's West Michigan chapter,

731 Front St., at 459-1900 or at mail@alsa-westmichigan.org.

Send e-mail to the author: kreinstadler@grpress.com