Robert John Greydanus Obituary (2021) The Press of Atlantic City – Legacy.com

Greydanus, Robert John, – January 22, 1942 – April 25, 2021, 79, died in Ocean City, New Jersey, following a heart attack. The oldest son of John S. and Margaret E. Greydanus of Hawthorne, Bob is survived by five siblings, three children, 17 grandchildren, and many nephews and nieces and close family friends. Born in Paterson and raised in Hawthorne, Bob studied at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids and ministered at Ellsworth Reformed Church in Michigan, Faith Reformed Church in Lodi, and Riverside Reformed Church in Paterson. His Reformed pastoral calling definitively ended in 1994 when he became Catholic, following his son Steven (Suzanne), and followed by his daughter Lisa (Tito) Palomeque and his ex-wife Marsanne, to whom he was married for 26 years. Their third child, Matthew (Amanda), proudly keeps the Calvinist faith. Bob’s enthusiasm for sharing his faith, offering counsel, and connecting with people went far beyond his clerical calling. Among many other occupations in his later life, he taught for several years for the Essex County Educational Services Commission, sometimes walking a fine line between small talk with students and evangelization. To the end of his days he never tired of striking up conversations with strangers and chatting at length about everything from their lives to the inevitability of death and the meaninglessness of life without faith. Bob was generous with his time and attention, as well as with his money—commodities for which he often seemed to have little personal use. He was indifferent and even careless regarding material things, from cars to clothing, and, after living in Pequannock from 1982 to 2015, jokingly called himself “homeless” as he followed a nomadic pilgrimage among his children and grandchildren and other family members and friends. In his last years, he settled in Ocean City where he lived with the Palomeques, remaining active and enjoying life to the very end. Although he regarded every day as a gift and took nothing for granted, he hoped—as did his family—that he might live much longer for the sake of his grandchildren and extended family. He will be sorely missed by his children and grandchildren, his siblings—Donald (Kathy), Sharon (Phil) Mol, Candy (Sid) Vander Woud, Barbara Tagliabue, and Jonathan (Jamie)—and their families, and many close friends. In addition to his devotion to his faith and his family, Bob was passionate about the pro-life cause, an avid follower of the news and conservative talk radio, and a great fan of the New York Yankees, the writings of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, and his own jokes. A viewing will be held on Thursday, April 29 from 7 to 9 PM at the George H. Wimberg Funeral Home on 1707 New Road in Linwood. His funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday at 11 AM at Saint Gianna Beretta Molla Catholic Church on 1421 New Road in Northfield, to be followed by a private burial. Condolences may be extended to the family at ghwimberg.com.