The name Ron Schipper is forever etched into the college football history books. In addition to his famed coaching career, in 2000 he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the recipient of the American Football Coaches Association’s Amos Alonzo Stagg Award for his outstanding service in advancing the best interests of the sport. These achievements, however, are not what Ron would most want to be remembered for. To him these were the little things in life, and the bigger picture is what made it all worthwhile. God and family were his top priorities, and his faith in God, devotion to family, and commitment to excellence are what made every aspect of his life a true success. Although some might say that the end on the 1920’s also brought to a close some of the most prosperous and glorious times in American history, the Schipper family would have to disagree. In the summer of 1928, Sybrand and Margaret (VanAsselt) Schipper of Zeeland, Michigan knew without a doubt that some of their best days were still to come as they awaited the arrival of their fi rst child. Another hot July drew to a close and a very pregnant Margaret was especially anxious for her newborn to come. Finally on August 7, the couple welcomed into the world a baby boy whom they named Ronald. Black Tuesday, the stock market crash that set the fi re known as the Great Depression, came just a few months after Ron celebrated his fi rst birthday. The years to follow were marked by struggle and scarcity, but working together the Schipper’s were able to stave off many of the problems faced by so many other families. Ron’s father worked at Herman Miller Company, while his mother was a nurse’s aid at Holland Hospital, and over the next several years they would have even more mouths to feed with the arrival of Ron’s fi ve siblings. The Schipper six got along well together, and enjoyed each other’s company. Ron began attending Zeeland Public Schools as a young boy, and went on to graduate from Zeeland High School in 1946. During this time he developed a passion for sports and although he played baseball and ran track, it was football that really captured his interest and his heart. However, he wouldn’t have the chance just yet to turn that passion into pursuit. During his fi rst years in high school, America became embroiled in WWII and “serve your country” was a calling heard by many young men including Ron. Desiring to fulfi ll his duty, he enlisted in the army and shipped out to Japan for two years following graduation. When Ron returned home to Michigan in 1948, he enrolled in Hope College where he majored in mathematics. While at a church camp one summer, he met a fellow Hope student named Joyce Post. He and Joyce immediately hit it off, and in 1951 they were married. While Ron was fi nishing up his studies, the couple lived in married housing, which student’s fondly referred to as the “barracks.” Following the completion of his Bachelor’s Degree at Hope, the couple moved operations from Holland to Ann Arbor and Ron began working on his Master’s Degree. Joyce was there not only for emotional support, but also for fi nancial support, teaching school and putting bread on the table until her husband graduated. Ron turned his ambition toward coaching football and, unsure of where it would lead him or what his future held, he started his career with the Northville High Mustangs in Northville, Michigan. Ron coached the Mustangs for 8 years, before taking his next coaching job at Jackson High School. In only nine years of coaching, Ron already had an impressive record of 33- 11-2, so it was no wonder when a Division III college began recruiting him as their next head coach. When Ron Schipper agreed to move his family to Pella, Iowa and coach the Central College Dutch, he could not have imagined the impact that the next 36 years of his life would have, not just on Central College football, but on Division III athletics as a whole. Beginning with football, Ron piloted his team to the playoffs 12 times and won the national title in 1974. To date he has the 12th highest victory total in college football history with a remarkable 287-67-3 record, which includes 36 consecutive winning seasons. In 1964, he took over duties as the college’s athletic director and, in his 16 years in that position, Central’s sports teams collected seven national titles. He was not only active on the fi eld, but also off the fi eld as a college administrator and instructor, and as a member of the American Football Coaches Association, over which he presided in 1994. After an illustrious 45-year career as a head coach Ron retired in 1997, but this hardly meant slowing down. He and Joyce returned to Holland, Michigan the place they called home for many years and the place where some of his family, including two of his three children, remained. Ron’s son Tim was following in his fathers footsteps and was the head coach at Fennville High School. Tim knew a good opportunity when he saw one and soon hired his father on as his assistant coach. Ron was an active member and elder of Christ Memorial Reformed Church. He was also involved in the education of his fellow parishioners as a Sunday school teacher and, whenever possible, spreading the word of God on mission trips. When he was not coaching or serving the Lord, he enjoyed playing cards or tending to his prized fl ower garden. More than anything, Ron loved spending his golden years creating cherished memories, traveling with his wife and Hope College friends and spending time with his children, and grandchildren. Even though his family misses him dearly, they are rejoicing in their faith because they know that he has been called home to be with the Lord. Ronald M. Schipper, age 77, died Monday March 27, 2006 at Holland Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Joyce, a daughter, Sara (Martin) Russell of Holland, sons, Tim (Karen) Schipper of Holland, Tom Schipper of Auburn, Maine, 5 grandchildren, Nate (Rebekah) Schipper, Rachel Schipper, Alaina Russell, Elsje and Lukas Schipper, sisters, Mary (Charles) Follett of Naples, Florida, Eunice (Don) Northuis of Grand Haven, and Jean (Lyle) Hop of Bradenton, Florida, a brother George (Ann) Schipper of Zephyr Hills, Florida, a brother in law, Waino Aukee of Holland. He was preceded in death by a sister, Sylvia Aukee and a grandson Benjamin Russell. The family will receive friends on Thursday from 2-4 and 6-8 at the Mulder Chapel of Dykstra Life Story Funeral Homes, 188 West 32nd St. Holland. Funeral services will be held Friday, 1:00 PM at the Christ Memorial Reformed Church, 595 Graafschap Rd. Please visit Ron’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory, order fl owers or make a memorial contributions to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes or the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation..