The Rev. Jacob Eppinga, one of the most prominent and beloved ministers in the Christian Reformed Church, died at his Grand Rapids home Saturday at the age of 90.

Eppinga served as a minister in the CRC for 64 years, 33 of those years at LaGrave Avenue CRC, from which he retired in 1987

He wrote the column, "Cabbages and Kings" for the Banner, the CRC magazine. Rev. Eppinga had stored up several articles and his last column will be published in September, making it 40 years to the month since his first publication.

He also served in many church capacities, including president of the CRC Synod three times and five years at president of the Back to God Hour broadcast ministry. He also wrote 10 books.

According to his son, Dick, nothing gave him more joy than serving a church. His passion was the parish ministry.

Rev. Eppinga preached his last sermon late last fall, when he was forced to quite due to pain from cancer and he canceled all speaking engagements scheduled into 2009.

He was born in 1917 in Detroit and married Anne Gertrude Batts in 1940. He graduated from Calvin College, Westminster Theological Seminary and Calvin Theological Seminary.

Eppinga was an avid fan of the Detroit Tigers. Her served his first church in Dearborn from 1944 to 1951.

He and his wife came to LaGrave Avenue CRC in 1954 where he pioneered ministries developing church in Nicaragua and Cuba. They established the Benefactors Trust Fund to support missions whose assets exceed $1 million. He was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from Westminster Theological Seminary in 2007.

Rev. Eppinga is survived by his wife, Anne; children Dick, Jay, Susan and Deanna, and brothers Stuart, Peter and Johan.

Visitation is scheduled for Tuesday at LaGrave Avenue CRC. A memorial service is planned at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church.

Transcriber: ES
Created: 6 May 2008
URL: http://kent.migenweb.net/obituaries/local/eppingaJ.html