Holland City News, Thursday, February 17, 1910

But seldom the voice of business life is hushed when the measured toll of the passing bell falls upon the ear of the busy world. Yesterday however, business was laid aside in Holland to pay the last honors to one of Holland’s foremost citizens, a man whose value will be appreciated fully, now when he is gone.

The loss of D. B. K. Van Raalte, the legislator, the businessman and soldier, is being keenly felt by all those who were in any way connected with him. During his brief illness great anxiety was felt, until last Friday reports grew more encouraging. But the Grim Reaper knocks alike at the hovel of the poor and the palace of the rich, and considers the needs of a city lightly, and last Saturday night pneumonia laid low a man, whom the city could needs afford to lose.

When but a boy, Van Raalte came with his father, the founder of this city, from Ommen, Netherlands, to the wilds of Michigan. His life’s story is the story of the city in which he grew up, for which he labored and which he loved. When the bugle of war summoned all loyal Unionists to the front, Van Raalte, ever true to his convictions, fought bravely in Company 1, Twenty- Fifth Michigan Infantry, and before Atlanta, lost an arm on the battlefield.

Returning to his native city, Van Raalte went into business. However, his fellow citizens, recognizing his sterling qualities, in 1877, sent him to Lansing to the state legislature as representative of this district. He served on the committee of ways and means, under whose supervision the state capitol building was erected, and in the halls of which afterward Van Raalte’s voice often resounded, courageous and unflinching, ever speaking for the right. Still no bitter feeling did he awaken by his opponents; rather the highest esteem and warmest affection was given him by every fellow member of the House.

After his first term Van Raalte refused to serve again, but last spring, having been induced by his party to run again, he regained his old seat in the state legislature by an overwhelming majority. Even more than at previous occasions, the old soldier from Holland won the affection and rose in the esteem of his colleagues.

His life as a citizen of Holland was unassuming. Devoid of any ostentation, he believed in doing rather than advertisement. In the quiet, dignified gentleman one would hardly recognize one of Holland’s most influential citizens, the president of the Holland City State Bank, of the Scott Lugers Lumber Co. and a director in several other companies.

The deceased is survived by a widow and two sons, Albertus C. and D. B. K., Jr., who are students at Hope College.

The funeral services, conducted by Rev. J. W. Beardslee, were devoid of any ostentation, this being the wish of the deceased. Among those who attended the funeral were Senator Burrows, Past Commanders Northrup, Wykoff and Pond and Commander Greenfield. The old comrades of Co. 1 bore the remains to the grave at Pilgrim Home Cemetery, they being John Wilterdink, Klaas Dykhuis, M. Van Regenmortar, R. De Vries, Henry Schlecter and John Van Lente, all of whom enlisted at the same time as Mr. Van Raalte.