Dr. James S. Ceton's Obituary
Dr. James S. “Jim” Ceton went to be with his Lord on Sunday, August 28, 2011. He was born June 10, 1942 in Muskegon to Sidney and Marjorie (Schroeder) Ceton. Jim and his wife of 43 years, Mary Lou Franks of Grand Haven, made their home on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert in Niger, West Africa from 1970-1991. They served the Lord there by providing medical care for the people of Niger at SIM’s (Serving In Mission) Galmi Hospital. Over the past twenty years, Jim has continued to care for people as a physician at Georgetown Medical Center in Jenison and hospitals in Zeeland, Holland, and Ludington. During this time, he and Mary Lou have continued to make several working visits to Galmi Hospital. Jim’s love for the Lord was clearly evident as he raised his family of four children with Mary Lou. Daily he demonstrated what it meant to follow Christ as he interacted with patients, colleagues, family, friends, and strangers. A humble man, he prayed that God would be honored in every situation. He shared his love of learning, carpentry, nature, bow hunting, manual labor, and discovery with many. Jim was a man of patience, compassion, humor and attention to detail. He carried a pen and 3x5 cards in his chest pocket to draw explanatory sketches for his patients and to jot down things to remember. He loved to teach in a medical setting as well as to make complex medical issues easier for people to understand. Jim was a member with Mary Lou of Calvary Church in Grand Rapids. He was Board Certified in General Surgery, and he was a member of the American College of Surgeons and the Christian Medical and Dental Associations. Jim and Mary Lou cherished the Lord, each other, and their family. She survives him, along with four children: Randall (Rebekah) Ceton of Hesperia; David (Laura) Ceton of Niamey, Republic of Niger; Karen (Matthew) Jackson of Greensboro, NC; and Rebecca (Nicholas) Risedorph of Grand Haven; 8 grandchildren: Seth and Luke Ceton; Andrea, Joel and Renée Ceton; Jacob, Lydia and Grace Jackson; 2 sisters: Ginger (Roger) Wolffis of Muskegon and Rebecca (Albert) VanSteenkiste of DeWitt, MI; and mother-in-law, Shirley Franks of Norton Shores. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Sidney and Marjorie; and father-in-law, James Franks, Sr. The MEMORIAL SERVICE for Jim will be 7PM, Tuesday, September 6, at Calvary Church (707 E. Beltline NE, Grand Rapids) with Rev. James Carlson officiating. VISITATION with the family will be prior to the service, 4-6:30PM Tuesday at the church. Contributions may be made to the Jim Ceton Memorial Fund at Michigan Commerce Bank, 333 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI 49417. Please share your memories of Jim online at www.systemafh.com. Arrangements by The Lee Chapel, Sytsema Funeral Homes, Inc. 6291 S. Harvey St. Norton Shores, MI 49444 231-798-1100.
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