Wednesday, November 30, 201111:00 a.m.

Sunshine Community ChurchGrand Rapids Charter Township, Michigan

We appreciate your support, prayers, and condolences, and thank you for taking the time to celebrate Fred’s life with us.

The Meijer Family

A CoMMuNiTy GATheRiNG iN CelebRATioN of The life of“I sincerely believe that treating others with

dignity and sharing our goals and problems has helped a group of common people go far

beyond our wildest dreams.”

“Life has been so much fun. I wish I was 25 again and could live another 50 years.

I think the best is yet to come.”

December 7, 1919 – November 25, 2011

order of Service Gathering Music Grand Rapids Symphony’s DeVos Quartet

The invitation of Celebration

“This is, indeed, a day which God has made.Let us then rejoice in it and be glad,And let us count our many blessings.Let us be grateful for the capacity to see, feel, hear and understand.Let us be grateful for the incredible gift of life.And let us be especially grateful for the ties of love which bind us together;Giving dignity, meaning, worth, and joy to all our days.” -Duncan Littlefair

The Solo

“Ol’ Man River” Officer Wally Tett, Grand Rapids Police Dept.

The Reflections on the life of fred Meijer

David HookerSteve FordEarl Holton

The lessons

The Epistle I Corinthians 13The Gospel Luke 10: 25-37

The Meditation

“Love Never Ends” Richard A. Rhem

The Prayer of Remembrance and Thanksgiving

fred’s final Journey

“Amazing Grace” Soloist Name

The benediction

Departing Music Grand Rapids Symphony’s DeVos Quartet

Celebration Participants

David HookerSteve Ford

Earl HoltonOfficer Wally Tett Richard A. Rhem

Grand Rapids Symphony’s DeVos Quartet

Fred Meijer was a pioneer of supercenter retailing and a visionary philanthropist.

He was a native of Greenville, MI, where his father, Hendrik, a Dutch immigrant barber, opened a grocery store in 1934. In 1946, he married Lena Rader, a cashier in that original store. He is survived by his beloved Lena, their three sons, Hank (Liesel) Meijer, Doug (Starr) Meijer and Mark (Mary Beth) Meijer, and seven grandchildren whose company he always enjoyed.

Born December 7, 1919, Fred worked in the store from the start, helping his father build the tiny grocery into a chain of supermarkets. In 1962, under Fred’s leadership, the chain opened its first “Thrifty Acres” store in Grand Rapids, a huge one-stop shopping discount emporium. As the company grew he was always an advocate of promoting people from within, an outspoken champion of civil rights, and a zealot for low prices. Fred – and he was, to his employees, simply “Fred” – was known for his competitive spirit and a keen sense of his own humble origins. In industry affairs, he was one of the longest serving directors of the Food Marketing Institute (formerly the Super Market Institute), and winner of its Sidney Raab award for outstanding service.

In his adopted hometown of Grand Rapids he played a vital role in the early years of the local Urban League and Goodwill Industries, and helped lead downtown urban renewal efforts. In 1984 he worked with a group of civic leaders and friends of President Ford to build the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum on the west bank of the Grand River. In those years he also served on the Cleveland District Board of the Federal Reserve. More recently, he was an active member of the Improvement Association.

While the Meijer name became synonymous with many civic and charitable undertakings, Fred’s most significant contribution lay with the creation in 1994 of the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. The conservatory and park reflect a blend of his passion for sculpture and Lena’s for gardening. The collection of contemporary sculpture now ranks among the finest in the world, in a complex which has become one of the region’s leading attractions.

Even at 91 he continued to attend meetings in the Meijer offices and motivate new generations of team members with his passion for customer service, fair play and low prices. He served as chairman emeritus of the company until his death.He will be lovingly missed by his bride of 65 years, his family, and all of those graced by his easygoing smile including kids of all ages who were recipients of his famous Purple Cow ice cream cards.