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JOHN W. VRIEZE
Mr. John Vrieze, age 92, of Alton, passed away on Tuesday, November 10, 2009, at the Orange City Area Health System Long Term Care Facility.
There will be a memorial service on Friday, November 13, at 11:00am, at the Alton Reformed Church. The Rev. Michael Hardeman will officiate. Interment will be prior to the service at the Nassau Township Cemetery, near Alton. There will be a prayer service on Friday, at 10:00am, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.
Visitation will be after 3:00pm on Thursday, with the family present from 6:00pm to 7:30pm, at the funeral home.
John William was born on August 29, 1917, in rural Alton, the son of Joseph and Patronella “Nellie” (Aberson) Vrieze. He was raised at Alton, where as a young man, he worked for area farmers. Later, he sold Nutrina Feeds at the Alton Feed Store. He then served in the United States Army for 4 ˝ years during World War II, stationed mostly in France and England.
On September 17, 1948, he married
Susan De Weerd in Orange City. They made their home in Alton, where he first operated the Alton Shoe Store. They then moved to Emmetsburg, where he sold Watkins Products for a year. He then began a 25 year career with Sioux County, the last three years of which he was foreman at the Alton shop. Later, he helped his wife manage the Alton Laundromat.
In November of 2001, they moved to the Pioneer Memorial Home in Orange City, and in May of 2004, they transferred to the Long Term Care Facility. Sue passed away on April 28, 2008, in Orange City, after almost sixty years of marriage.
Mr. Vrieze was a member of the Alton Reformed Church, where he served on the consistory. He also belonged to the Floyd American Legion Post in Alton. He enjoyed woodworking, making many toys, bowling, and playing pool.
He was a compassionate and caring friend, who always had a smile and a handshake. His dry sense of humor allowed him to see the bright side of life. He was a loving husband and father, who lived for his family.
He will be greatly missed by his daughter and her husband, Jolene and Kenneth Ekema, of Everson, Washington; three grandchildren, Kristin, and her husband, Lindsey Hoekstra, of Lynden, Washington; Kyle Ekema, and his wife, Swandel, of Everson; and Kaitlyn Ekema, of Everson, and her fiancé, Joshua Trefethen, of Bellingham, Washington; two great-grandchildren, Jessica and Shaun Hoekstra; a sister-in-law, Christina De Haan, of Orange City; and nephews and nieces.
In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Betty Blalock and JoAnn Kessler.
Memorials may be directed to the Alton Reformed Church and the Gideons.
WILBUR J. WIERSMA
Mr. Wilbur Wiersma, age 80, of Orange City, passed away on Monday, December 21, 2009, at his residence.
Please note change of days and times.
There will be a memorial service on Sunday, December 27, at 1:30pm, at the Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. David Heilman will officiate.
Visitation with the family will be on Saturday, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, with a prayer service at 3:00pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City. Interment will follow at the West Lawn cemetery in Orange City.
Wilbur John was born on July 29, 1929, in Orange City, the son of Dewey and Alice (Geurink) Wiersma. He was raised in Orange City, where he attended the Christian School and Northwestern Academy and College. He also attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He then served four years in the United States Air Force during the Korean Conflict.
On September 14, 1951, he married
Mary Louise Vander Moere in Grand Rapids. They lived at Shreveport, Louisiana, while he was in the military. They then moved to Le Mars, where he was a poultry specialist at a hatchery. In 1963, they settled on the southwest edge of Orange City, where he operated an egg plant and was a farmer.
Mr. Wiersma was currently a member of the Calvary Christian Reformed Church. In earlier years, he was very active in the Calvin Christian Reformed Church in Le Mars. He served as a Sunday school teacher and council member and traveled to Nigeria, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico for mission projects.
He enjoyed animals, raising llamas, goats, and sheep. After retiring from the egg farm, he and Mary liked to travel, spending winters in Texas. In addition, he helped with the Hope Haven Wheelchair Ministry in Orange City.
Survivors include his wife of more than 58 years; five children and thirteen grandchildren, Ruth (Terry) Huizingh, of Denver, Colorado, and their sons, Jonathan Huizingh, Ryan (Sarah) Huizingh, and Devin Huizingh; Paul (Joyce) Wiersma, of Summerland, British Columbia, and their children, Sharon (Kurt) Vos, and two great-grandchildren, Meghan and Layne Vos, Rachel (Mark) Peters, Carla Wiersma, and Daniel Wiersma; Joyce Wiersma, of Denver; Bruce (Mary) Wiersma, of Orange City, and their children, Angela Wiersma and Travis Wiersma; and Dean (Judy) Wiersma, of Fort Collins, Colorado, and their sons, Andy (Jenny) Wiersma, Steve Wiersma, Matt Wiersma, and Joel Wiersma; three brothers, Ralph (Emilie) Wiersma, of Denver; Glenn (Joyce) Wiersma, of Odessa, Texas; and Lee Dale Wiersma, of Rock Valley; and his wife's brother and sister, James (Bea) Vander Moere and Martha Stuits, all of Grand Rapids.
Memorials may be directed to the Hope Haven Wheelchair Ministry.
EUGENE C. GEURINK
Mr. Eugene Geurink, age 71, of Alton, passed away on Saturday, January 31, 2009, at the Mercy Medical Center in Sioux City.
There will be a memorial service on Wednesday, February 4, at 1:00pm, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Alton. The Rev. Fr. Paul Eisele, the Rev. Fr. Richard Ball, and the Rev. Fr. James Tigges will officiate. The remains are being cremated, according to his wishes. Interment of the cremains will follow the service at the church cemetery. Visitation will be on Tuesday, from 4:00pm to 8:00pm, with a prayer service at 7:30pm, at the CHURCH. Arrangements are with the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.
Eugene Carlton was born on September 25, 1937, in Sioux City, the son of Henry William and Fannie (Reinders) Geurink. He was raised in Orange City, where he graduated from the Northwestern Classical Academy.
On November 27, 1958, he married
Joanne Frances Ahlers in Granville. They made their home in Alton. He was employed for more than forty years by the Vogel Paint Corporation in Orange City, retiring as plant manager. He had also worked as an organ builder, piano tuner, and house painter.
Gene was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, where he was an organist and had served as parish council president. He also served as scoutmaster and was an avid fisherman. He was well- known for his sense of humor and colorful vocabulary. He loved spending time with his family, especially the grandchildren.
Survivors include his wife of fifty years, Jo; four daughters, Patti Davis, of Omaha, Nebraska; Peggy, and her husband, Mark Schleuger, of Des Moines; Paula Cleveringa, of Des Moines; and Penny, and her husband, Jim O'Connor, of Waterloo; a son and his wife, Bob and Brenda Geurink, of Des Moines; fourteen grandchildren, Andrea, and her husband, James Johnson, and Jeff and Erika Goergen; Rebecca Schleuger-Valadao, and her husband, Mauro, and Ryan Schleuger; Nicole, James, and Andrew Cleveringa; Lucy, Sean, and Maggie O'Connor; and Shane, Luke, and Garrett Geurink; a great-granddaughter, Bianca Schleuger-Valadao; a brother and his wife, Wally and Fran Geurink, of Ogallala, Nebraska; and his dog, Tigges.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
MARTHA AARSEN
Mrs. Martha Aarsen, age 95, of Orange City, passed away on Tuesday, November 24, 2009, at the Orange City Area Health System Hospital.
There will be a funeral service on Saturday, November 28, at 10:30am, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City. The Rev. Herman Hofman will officiate. Interment will follow at the West Lawn cemetery in Orange City. Visitation will be after 4:00pm on Friday, with the family present from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, at the funeral home.
Martha was born on October 13, 1914, in The Netherlands, the daughter of Hannes and Jantje (Van Laar) Van Roekel. She was raised in Holland, where she attended elementary school.
On February 12, 1937, she married
Teunis Hendrik Aarsen in The Netherlands. They emigrated to the United States in September of 1955, settling in Orange City. Mr. Aarsen passed away on January 29, 1968, in Orange City.
Mrs. Aarsen was a homemaker and also a clerk at the Vogel and Van De Brake Paint Store in Orange City for seventeen years.
She was a member of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Sioux Center.
Survivors include two sons, Henk Aarsen, and Bert Aarsen, and his wife, Peggy, all of Orange City; nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a son and his wife, Hans and Alana Aarsen, a daughter-in-law, Sylvia Aarsen; and thirteen brothers and sisters.
Memorials may be directed to the Netherlands Reformed Congregation, Hope Haven in Rock Valley, and Village Northwest in Sheldon.
