A Story Still Being Written
Daryl Zoerman’s story is closely tied to Holland, Michigan. He grew up on the city’s north side near the Black River and remembers watching Windmill Island take shape. He later spent more than 40 years working in the dairy industry. He began in production before moving into milk testing and eventually quality control. Outside of work, he devoted more than 30 years to youth ministry in several leadership roles.
Daryl met his wife, Vicki, at his brother’s wedding. She was the bride’s sister and one of the bridesmaids. The couple raised three children, and Daryl now has four grandchildren whose photographs fill his apartment door at Royal Park Place.
Vicki worked as a registered nurse and was known for helping whenever she saw someone in need. Daryl remembers her stopping to check on people after a car went into a ditch. At another community event, she climbed over a fence while wearing a traditional costume so she could assist after a motorcycle accident.
“That was the nurse in her,” Daryl said.
Vicki died after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer. During her illness and after her death, Daryl kept journals about what the family was experiencing. He recorded the painful decisions they faced and the anger that followed. He also wrote about the grief he often kept to himself because his children were mourning their mother.
Eventually, those journals became his first book.
“I kept a lot of stuff inside,” he said. “It was affecting my health.”
Writing gave Daryl a place to be honest about feelings that were difficult to explain. His book has since found an audience at Royal Park Place, where one copy has been passed from resident to resident.
Daryl is now working on a second book about the seven churches described in the Book of Revelation. The project draws on his interest in history and the questions that guided his years in ministry. He wants readers to consider what those ancient churches may still teach people today.
That curiosity has always shaped the way Daryl approached faith. As a youth leader, he wanted young people to understand what they believed. He also encouraged them to carry those beliefs into their lives outside the church.
“I wanted the kids to experience Christianity and share it out in the world,” he said.
When he needs time to focus on his writing, Daryl sometimes takes a short trip away. A recent stay near Spring Lake gave him the chance to work on his book. It also left time for fishing, one of his longtime interests.
He still enjoys fishing with his family, including trips with his son. Daryl usually releases what he catches and jokes that he stopped cleaning fish when his children stopped helping.
“Now I just tell everybody I’m too lazy to clean them,” he said.
Daryl stays active at Royal Park Place. He has participated in community fishing events and regularly checks the activity calendar for outings that interest him. He attends Bible study and sometimes joins worship services. Community trips have taken him to dinner and a West Michigan Whitecaps game.
Daryl moved to Royal Park Place after living in a condominium. His daughters were concerned about him being alone after his son moved out, and the community offered a way for him to remain independent while having others nearby.
“I love it here,” he said.
He often goes downstairs for coffee and sometimes brings his writing with him. Neighbors stop to ask about his latest project or sit down to talk. He has also met residents who remember Vicki from her years as a nurse, creating unexpected connections to the life they shared.
His apartment still holds several angels from a collection Vicki once owned. After her death, Daryl invited family members to choose angels as keepsakes and kept a few for himself. To him, they are fitting reminders of a woman who spent her life caring for others.
Daryl’s life has changed, but his story continues. Writing remains an important part of his days, as does time with his family. He still fishes when he can and shares his work with the people around him.
The memories and questions remain. Now, he gives them a place on the page.
