Otis Nathan "Nate" French

Otis Nathan French was born in Grand Rapids on April 11, 1930 to Cora Elen (Watson) French of Grand Rapids and Reginald Sidney French of Middleville. He passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 29 at 91. After his father’s untimely passing in 1936, the family moved to Morris Ave in Grand Rapids where he attended Central High School and graduated from The Leelanau School in Glen Arbor in 1948. Nate received his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Michigan State College in 1953 and later served in Korea. In 1961, he married Joyce Marie Bierens at Central Reformed Church. With Joyce’s help, Nate started Business Forms Associates in 1968 and had a long career in the business printing industry later working closely with his sons, Reg and Bill. He was a long-time member of Mayflower Congregational Church and was active with Big Brothers where he mentored two “Little Brothers.” Nate was a baseball coach and regularly attended his son’s and grandchildren’s events. Spending time at the family cottage with friends and family and daily walks around East Grand Rapids and along the lakeshore brought him great joy. He is survived by his sons, Reginald S. French (Jane) & William C. French (Jennifer Dawson), grandchildren Allison, Madeleine, Grace, Emily, and Liam, and his brother Sidney Watson French of Naples, Florida. Preceding him in death are his wife, Joyce, and brother and sister, Thomas David French and Polly Koehler. Please send memorial contributions to the Grand Rapids Community Foundation Fund for Community Good, www.givegr.org/French. Visitation will be held Monday, June 7 from 5:00pm-8:00pm at Metcalf and Jonkhoff, 4291 Cascade Road SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. A memorial service for close family and friends will follow at Mayflower Congregational Church at a later date.

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