Colleagues, friends mourn death of Norton Shores Mayor Jerry Wiersma
by Dave Alexander | The Muskegon Chronicle
Friday March 13, 2009, 4:39 PM
Chronicle file photoIn this file photo, Jerry Wiersma talks with an atendee of his party after winning the election for mayor of Norton Shores in 2005. Wiersma died Friday at the age of 76.
Norton Shores Mayor Jerry L. Wiersma, remembered for his dedication to service and sense of humor, died early Friday morning after a long battle with cancer.
City officials swore in Hank Waldo as Wiersma's successor later in the day. Waldo, a city council member and mayor pro tem, will serve out the remainder of Wiersma's term through November.
"He was a friend and a strong leader," Waldo said. "We're going to miss his incredible sense of humor. He was a fun guy to be around."
Wiersma, 76, was an 18-year council member when he was elected as Norton Shores mayor in 2005. He began his political career with the city in 1984 when the council appointed him to the city's zoning board of appeals and then to the planning commission in 1985. Wiersma was first elected to the city council in 1987.
"Jerry was an excellent council member who wanted what was best for the entire city," said Nancy Crandall, a former Norton Shores mayor and council member who served with Wiersma. "On the council, he was always the peacemaker, coming up with solutions that were not readily apparent. He was a very special man."
Wiersma was a human resources manager with Consumers Energy in Muskegon for more than 30 years until his retirement in 1990. He and his son Jerry Wiersma Jr. have owned and operated West Michigan Power Cleaning Systems Inc. in Norton Shores since 1992.
Wiersma was active with the Muskegon Elks Lodge and the Muskegon Rotary Club among other community activities. He also was a U.S. Air Force veteran.
He is survived by his wife Lois and five children: Cheryl Gaudette of Montague, Tom Wiersma of Rothbury, Joy Wiersma of Spring Lake, Patricia Stoevsand of Norton Shores and Jerry Wiersma Jr. of Norton Shores.
A funeral service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral Homes, 6291 S. Harvey. Visitation at the Lee Chapel is Tuesday from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. An Elks Lodge Sorrows Service will be Tuesday at 6 p.m.
The mayor's office and three at-large council seats, including Waldo's, are up for election in November. Waldo's vacant seat must be filled in the next 30 days, according to city charter.
Waldo said it's too early to know whether he'll run for election as mayor.