Donald Edward De Wit

Rock Valley, IA: Donald Edward De Wit, 94, of Rock Valley, Iowa, passed away on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at Crown Point Estates in Sioux Center, Iowa. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM, Monday, March 10, at Trinity Christian Reformed Church of Rock Valley with Ron De Wit and Rev. Stanley Groothof officiating. Livestream of the service can be found at https://vimeo.com/event/4077519. Private family burial will take place prior to the service at Valley View Cemetery of Rock Valley. Visitation with the family present will be 2:00-4:00 PM, Sunday, March 9, at Trinity Christian Reformed Church.

   Memorial gifts in Don’s memory can be made to Rock Valley Christian School or Midwest Honor Flight. Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley has been entrusted with Don’s funeral arrangements.

  Donald Edward De Wit was born April 6, 1930, to Evert and Jennie (Baker) in Rock Valley, Iowa, the fifth of seven sons. Don attended school through the 8th grade and through his growing up years, learned farm chores when his family moved to a dairy farm near Sioux Falls, South Dakota. On August 20, 1951, he married Louise De Boer in Rock Valley. Soon after, he was deployed to Korea with the US Army. There, he served as a machine gunner, often on the front lines. Upon his return from Korea, Don and Lou farmed near Sioux Falls, Colton and Crooks, South Dakota. During this time, their four children were born, Dave, Larry, Greg and Mary. This season was plagued with back surgeries and chronic pain and in 1966, Don gave up farming and moved the family to Iowa.

  The De Wits lived one year in Orange City, Iowa before moving to Rock Valley where Don began his long career in feed sales and elevator management at the Rock Valley Elevator. Those years provided endless tales of quirky clients, salesmen, and co-workers and those Purina trips to warm places. In the early 1990’s, Don left the elevator and then devoted a few years to part-time work for the Canton Livestock Auction and then Cooperative Credit in Sioux Center, Iowa.

  Don served his community in a variety of leadership capacities including as elder on the church council, president of the Rock Valley Christian School board, the Hegg Hospital board, and the board of the Rock Valley Golf Club. He and Lou volunteered for the Truck Stop Ministry, traveled to Romania to support work in orphanages with Global Partners, and he delivered Hope Haven wheelchairs to Florida in a straight truck. Don and Lou traveled to Korea to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the peace treaty and Don was privileged to participate in a Midwest Honor Flight to Washington DC.

  Besides his love of the land and livestock, Don had two other passions, golf and music. He participated in league golf in Rock Valley for many seasons. The De Wit brothers, then sons and grandsons, played the “De Wit Open” where the winner earned a traveling trophy for a year. Don was a serious competitor and golf trips to warm places were always highlights.

  Don loved music. While Don was in Korea, he joined a quartet that often performed in officers’ clubs. When he returned home, Don soon became the original wedding singer and sang the Lord’s Prayer over many couples. Besides singing for weddings and funerals, he sang 2nd tenor with the Majestics Gospel Quartet, a group who performed many concerts and recorded a CD. Don was a charter member of the Valley Male Chorus where he was a fixture for 36 years in the bass section even though he couldn’t read music. He loved both classical and choral music and it wasn’t uncommon to hear Vivaldi or Bach playing in the background.

  A man with quick wit and dry sense of humor, he will long be remembered and respected for the godly man he was. Don’s words were encouraging and measured; his quiet wisdom and rock-solid trust in his heavenly father were easily evident to those who knew and loved him. The twinkle in his eye and subtle chuckle were trademarks of a giant of a man who left a legacy of faith and Christ-like character to his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. These cherished memories live on.

  Left to cherish that memory are his wife of 73 years, Louise; and their 4 children and families:

  Dave (Dianne) of Rock Valley and their children, Lindsay (Jon) Buchert and children Anna, Emmett, and Otto of Gilbert, Arizona; Amanda (Blair) Toews and daughter Judy of Chandler, Arizona; and Matt (Krista) De Wit and children Weslee, Ruby, Benson, and Calvin of Yankton, South Dakota.

  Larry (Ellen) of Rock Valley and their children, Nikki Beck and sons Jack and William of Sioux Falls; DeAnna (Ryan) Anema and their children Madelyn (Ian) Hines of Marion, Indiana, Eli, Paxton and Ireland of Sioux Falls; and Ross (Kyla) and daughters Lucy, Ella, and June of Mt. Vernon, Washington.

  Greg (Gail) of Rock Valley and their children, Nate (Gretchen) and sons Gavin, Jaeger and Adler of Sioux Center; and Ryan (Mollie) and daughters Sadie and Renlee of Rock Valley.

  Mary (Mark) Borger of Sioux Center and their children, AJ (Kirsten) and sons Ethan, Logan and Dylan, Jenny (Marcus) Van Zee and daughter Elodie, and Emily (Austin) Van Vleck all of Sioux Center.

  Don is also survived by his brother, Floyd De Wit, of Gilbert, Arizona; sister-in-law, Kathy De Wit, of Sioux Center; and many De Wit and De Boer nieces and nephews.

  Don was preceded in death by his parents; and his brothers and their wives, John and Irene of Rock Valley, Henry (Bud) and “Sis”/Eunice of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Marvin and Mary and Al and Ann, both of Sioux Falls, and Bernie of Sioux Center.