Hope College - Milestone Yearbook (Holland, MI)

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The Citizen No man lives to himself alone. The full-orbed life reaches out and comes into contact with every phase of human life and thought and lends a helping hand to all the great moral, spiritual, economic, and civic forces that are strug- gling to uplift mankind. Professor Kleinheksel was not a recluse, lie felt the keenest interest in the sweep of national and world events and kept in closest touch with them. He was a pioneer in the temperance movement, and loved to battle for all great reforms. The caucus, the primary, the political gathering, and the polls on election day, were never neglected. The Holland Chamber of Commerce often listened to his words of advice and he was a favorite at farmers’ gatherings. He was financially interested in many of Holland's most substantial business institutions and was a director of one of her banks. The Friend To his students, as we have seen, Professor Kleinheksel was more than a teacher; he was a guide, patron, and friend. To his associates, he was more than a pleasing companion; he was their friend. To his business acquaintances, he was more than a sharer in their dividends; he entered into their lives, he was their friend. Friendship to him was sacred and he was, therefore, always loyal. No gold ever rang truer than did his friendship. True friendship is always unselfish and sincere, and his was of the David and Jonathan type. Broken friendships he never knew. His loyal heart ever beat the faster when success and fortune smiled upon his friends. How well the words “great heart” suit him. “His life was gentle, and the elements So mixed in him that nature might stand up And say to all the world, “This was a man.” The Christian Carlyle well said that the great thing about any man is his religion. Al- though Professor Kleinheksel had a deep, philosophic and a keen, analytic mind, much given to close reasoning and one which required clear proof and accurate demonstration to produce conviction, such a mind as is often found in the skep- tic, yet he embraced the Christian’s faith with his deepest convictions and with- out the shadow of a doubt. In the home, in society, in the Sunday-school as teacher and superintendent, in the church as elder, yes, wherever he went, he lived and talked a joyous Christian life. He bade farewell to his loved ones, not only with the hope, but with the fullest assurance, that he would meet them again. He was a sincere, a happy Christian. In this faith he lived, loved, and finally fell asleep. “Though ’neath the clouds of the valley Forms that we cherish may sleep; God has commanded his angels Watch o’er our loved ones to keep. Only the leaves of the vine tree Wither and languish and die; God hath transplanted its branches, Garnered its fruits in the sky.” 7 G. J. Diekf.ma, ’81.

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Professor John II. Kleinheksel On Sunday evening, June 11th, 1916, Professor John H. Kleinheksel died at his home on Twelfth Street in the City of Holland, after a lingering illness, caused by chronic pleurisy and heart trouble. Owing to the commanding position which he had held in the church and society and the world of education and business, his death caused the deepest sorrow and spread the greatest gloom over the City and the Institution, both of which he loved so well and served so faithfully. He was in the very prime of life, having been born in Overisel, Allegan County, Michigan, on March 3, 1854, from a sturdy stock of Holland pio- neers, and in the midst of an ever-widening sphere of useful activities. After having attended and taught school in his native town, he became a student at Hope College and graduated in 1878. with high honors, due to his keen, philosophic mind and his propensity for work. He was disposed to enter the profession of Law. for which he seemed to have every qualification, but so great was the demand of his Alma Mater for his services and so great was his loyal devotion to her, that he yielded his personal preferences and gave himself unreservedly and unselfishly to the cause of education at Hope, where for thirty-eight years, as instructor and professor of Mathematics, and for twenty-three years, as Vice-President, he lived and labored with ever-increasing power and prestige. In August, 1884, he was married to Anna S. Van Raalte, the youngest daughter of the Founder of the Holland Colony” in Michigan. This union was an ideally happy one, and three sons, Paul. Frank De Mocn, and Lewis J. and one daughter, Vera, blessed the union. Vera, the only daughter, died on Feb- ruary 2nd, 1910, and the mother followed her daughter on February 22nd, 1914. The I lomc Professor Kleinheksel was a home builder and a home lover. Unselfish devo- tion. ardent love, genuine sympathy, and perfect peace were the atmosphere of his home. Friends and guests were always welcome and loved the warm greet- ing and the good cheer with which they were received in this happy home, with its spirit of genuine culture and refinement. The American home is the choicest spot on all this earth, and his was the ideal American home, with the altar, the music, the library, the art. and the all-pervading sunlight of love. The Educator Every student who was ever in his classroom, will gladly testify to the well-earned reputation and fame of Professor Kleinheksel as a teacher. W hile he was a master of his subject and was so recognized in the state, the great book from which his scholars learned most was the book of his own consistent life. His unique personality, his lofty ideals, his stainless character, his purity, his heroic faith, his dauntless courage, his broad sympathies, his strong con- victions, his open-mindedness, his persistence, his keen humor, his business sagacity, his patriotism, his true Americanism, and his deep and changeless love for all his students entered into their very life-blood, bone, marrow and sinew, and gave them strength and courage for life’s battles. His virtues live on in them. He is immortal on earth as well as in heaven. The efficiency of a teacher is measured not only by the degrees he has ob- tained, or by the brilliancy of his intellect, but also by the power of his person- ality and the dynamic force of his character. In those rare qualities, our friend excelled. 6

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