Gary L. Elfring

Gary L. Elfring, aged 84, passed away at his home in Kalamazoo on April 11, 2025, surrounded by members of his loving family and his caregivers.

Gary was born Gerard Elfring in Hengelo, The Netherlands, on September 30, 1940, to Henry and Erna (Dijkman) Elfring where he lived with his parents and three younger siblings until the family immigrated to the United States in 1957. With the help and support of relatives, the family settled in Holland, Michigan; Gerard opted for the more American sounding first name of Gary, and he enrolled at Hope College while also serving as the primary English speaker for the family. After graduating from Hope College in 1961, Gary attended Purdue University, earning a master’s degree in mathematical statistics two years later. While at Hope he met his first wife, Sandy (Kragt) Elfring, also from Holland, and they married in 1962 (div. 1984). After short stays in New Hampshire and New Jersey, they settled down in Kalamazoo Michigan, raising their two children while he was employed as a Biostatistician at The Upjohn Co., a tenure that lasted for over 30 years. Gary was passionate about his work in clinical research and was a key contributor in the approval of therapeutic medicines at Upjohn, which continued during a 15-year tenure at PTC Therapeutics in New Jersey.

Two of his many interests outside of work, European football and the fine arts, also were notable components in his life’s journey. The former found an outlet spending many hours as a soccer referee on pitches around the area and working his way from shepherding 6-year-olds at his first AYSO game in 1978 to achieving the accreditations to officiate Division I College games in the late 1980’s and 90’s. It was his love of music and singing that led him to join church choirs, initially at Bethany Reformed Church and later at First Presbyterian Church where he would eventually meet his wife, Janet Lawing, who shared many of his same interests in their careers and appreciation of the arts. Unbeknownst to all at the time, Gary refereed college games in which Janet’s three brothers played. Gary and Janet were married in 1991, welcoming her two daughters to the family that he deeply cared for. Their continued work in the pharmaceutical industry led them to the Northeast, and they spent 19 years in Lebanon, NJ, where they enjoyed exploring the abundance in nature around them, the nearby access to an array of cultural and fine art events, and taking advantage of every opportunity to watch and cheer on the Dutch National football team and favored English Premier League team, Liverpool FC, from the comfort of their home. Following Gary’s diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease in 2020, they moved back to Kalamazoo in 2022 to be closer to members of both of their families, affording more opportunities to gather for birthdays, holidays, and all the precious moments in between. All members of his family fondly remember Gary as a dedicated, loving, and patient man who cherished spending time and sharing his quick wit with his loved ones, friends, and colleagues.

Gary is preceded in his passing by his parents; brother, Ben Elfring; and the mother of his children, Sandy. His spirit lives on through his children, Greg (Patty Smanik) Elfring and Monica (Michael Foley) Elfring; his wife, Janet, and her children, Abi (Mark) Winston and Emily Lawing; granddaughters, Sara Elfring and Meg Elfring; step-grandchildren, Taylor Moose, Morgan Moose, and Carter Chambless; his brother, John Elfring; sister, Ina Darden; brother-in-law, Steve Darden; nephews Michael (Alice) Darden, Jesse (Alice) Darden, and Lucas (Erica) Darden; and all the friends and colleagues that he encountered on his life’s journey.