Charles "Chuck" Sikkenga

Charles “Chuck” Sikkenga, age 75 of Grand Haven, passed away on Friday, March 17, 2023 after a lengthy illness.  Born in Muskegon in 1947 to the late Clarence and Ann (Szot) Sikkenga, Chuck graduated from Muskegon High School in 1965, then worked his way through Muskegon Community College and Western Michigan University.  He became a history teacher at Grand Haven High School in January 1970. In a teaching career of over 30 years, including 24 as varsity baseball coach, he influenced thousands of young people.

As successful as he was in his career, he was most proud of his family. In his induction speech to the Michigan Baseball Coach’s Association Hall of Fame in 1996, he described his relationship with his wife, Sandy as his greatest success. Their marriage lasted 54 years and produced three children; Chuck (C.E.); Stacy, and Carrie (Shawn)  Ledet.  It also provided a lifetime’s worth of memories.  Although his teaching and coaching duties kept him busy, he always made time for his kids, taking them with him to ballgames, reading with them and mentoring them in their chosen activities. This extended to his grandsons Brock, Brody and Duke (D.J.) Ledet.

After retiring from education in 2000, Chuck suffered a stroke that limited his mobility but not his lust for life.  He still pursued his passions, including maintaining a spotless lawn, traveling, and golfing with Sandy, getting into the woods with his beagles and spending time with family, especially his grandsons, Brody (14) and D.J. (8).

Slowed in his last years by battles with cancer and heart disease, he continued to enjoy every day, reading, and following his favorite sports teams, especially the Detroit Tigers.  He also enjoyed keeping in touch with old friends and, especially, his former students and ballplayers on social media. After two-plus years of constant health struggles, he rebounded in the spring and summer of 2022 and was able to return to some of his old passions and was healthy enough to make a public appearance at a Grand Haven Baseball ceremony honoring him for his years of coaching excellence.  A recurrence of multiple illnesses followed in the fall and he went into hospice care in November  where he remained until the end of his life, receiving excellent care from Robbinswood assisted living facility and Hospice of North Ottawa Community.

In addition to his wife; children and grandchildren; Chuck is survived by older brothers, Gus (Linda) Sikkenga and Jim (Kathy) Sikkenga; younger siblings, Tom Sikkenga and Mary(Jerry) Hazelwood; step siblings John (Marcia) Fultz, Carmen Kaine and his beloved son-in-law Shawn Ledet; as well as several nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his grandson, Brock Ledet; three step siblings; brother and sister-in-law Don and Robyn Dahl.  

A celebration of life visitation will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 26, 2023, at Klaassen Family Funeral Home.  In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Hospice of North Ottawa Community.

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