In Memoriam

Local philanthropist Midge Verplank dies

By MATT DEYOUNG Grand Haven Tribune

Article: Grand Haven Tribune

Obituary: Klaassen Funeral Home

L.J. “Midge” Verplank loved nothing more than “looking over the
numbers” of his numerous businesses, cutting through the surf on his sailboat, and supporting the Tri-Cities community.

Verplank, who co-founded Shape Corp. and several other local businesses, and was the former CEO of Verplank Dock Co. and Verplank Trucking, died Friday, Dec. 16. He was 91.

“To me, he was a mentor – he was someone we looked up to,” said his daughter, Melissa Verplank. “He was so generous – generous with his family, generous with his community, generous with his businesses.

“His generosity to the Tri-Cities community was massive. … He cared deeply for his local community and wanted to make sure it continued to thrive while he was alive and for generations to come.”

Asked if he only had 20 minutes left in his life and how would he spend them, Midge Verplank didn’t hesitate.

“He said, ‘looking at the numbers,’” Melissa said. “He was so happy in his office. Even at 91, he was actively involved in so many of the businesses he was a part of. He hardly ever missed a board meeting. He was still involved, whether it be Verplank Family Holding, the aggregate companies, Shape, Light Corp., all of them.”

Midge is survived by Melissa and her husband, Marc LaFleur, as well as daughter Marte Matthews and her husband, Ron Matthews.

His brother and longtime business partner, Gary Verplank, died in 2019.

Midge’s given name is Lorell – used so infrequently that Melissa wasn’t even sure how to spell it. He was given the nickname “Midge” by an aunt when he was born, and that nickname was reinforced when he was a young boy.

“He entered a comic book contest, and they sent him a girl’s prize,” Melissa said. “From that point on, he always went by Midge.”

Nephew Kyle Verplank, executive chairman of Verplank Enterprises Inc., provided a lengthy list of companies that Midge Verplank was involved in. In addition to Shape Corp. – one of Grand Haven’s largest employers – he also co-founded and directed Finish Corp., Light Corp., Track Corp., NetShape and Meta Tool Technologies. He served as director of BR Metals and Pliant Plastics, and was a former CEO and board member of Asphalt Paving Inc.

When he wasn’t pouring over the numbers in his office, Midge Verplank was sailing. Pictured is his boat, Sundowner.

Midge was actively involved in the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation as a trustee emeritus. He was a 2012 inductee of the Grand Haven High School Hall of Fame, and a 2004 inductee of the Junior Achievement of West Michigan Hall of Fame. Verplank was a longtime Spring Lake Rotary member, and a Paul Harris Fellow recipient.

Verplank still found plenty of time to pursue his other passion – sailing. He was a member of the Spring Lake Yacht Club, where he served as commodore in 1963, as well as the Western Michigan Yachting Association, where he served as commodore in 1967.

Midge Verplank, left, and Gary Verplank, right, were longtime partners who started numerous local businesses, including Shape Corp.

In the 1970s and early ‘80s, Midge participated in sailboat races across the Great Lakes, and enjoyed plenty of success aboard his boat, the Sleeping Bear. He raced from Chicago to Mackinac, Port Huron to Mackinac, and the Queen’s Cup race from Milwaukee to various West Michigan ports.

“His boat was very competitive – he won or placed highly in multiple races,” Melissa said.

He also loved to sail recreationally, and for nearly 40 years, he spent his winters in the Caribbean aboard his various boats.

“He crossed the Atlantic six times in his personal boat, and spent two seasons in Croatia aboard his Sundowner,” Melissa said. “His last several boats were all named Sundowner, and that name came from two thoughts. First, in the Caribbean, you always wanted to be in before sunset. The other was, he said this would be the last boat of his career, so this was the sundown of his sailing career.

“He was always racing, always sailing,” Melissa added. “As he was communicating to family in his last days, he peppered in quite a few sailing terms, and the final one is that he was crossing the finish line.”