Fred Vlastuin

ROCK VALLEY, IA: Fred Vlastuin, 91, of Rock Valley, IA, died Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at Whispering Heights in Rock Valley. Funeral service will be Tuesday, June 21, at 1:00 PM at Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley with Pastor Joe Terrell of Grace Community Church officiating. The service will be live-streamed at https://www.porterfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/fred-vlastuin. Burial, with military rites, will follow at Valley View Cemetery of Rock Valley. Visitation, with the family present, will be Monday, June 20, at Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley from 5:30-7:00 PM with a prayer service to follow at 7:00 PM.

   In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials for the Mission Fund at Grace Community Church or Whispering Heights of Rock Valley.

   Fred Vlastuin was born April 10, 1931, on a farm near Doon, IA, to John and Elizabeth (Van Grootheest) Vlastuin. He was the 4th of 7 children. Fred attended a one room country school, graduating from the 8th grade. He worked at home as a farm hand and for other farmers. On June 20, 1951, he married Ann Vander Boon. Soon after he entered the US Army and served his country until August 8, 1953. Fred served most of his time in Korea. After returning home, they bought a feed grinding business in Alvord, IA. After six years they started farming near Doon. In 1976 he started working at Kooima Machine Company in Rock Valley, IA where he worked for 20 years. In 1992 they moved to Rock Valley.

   God blessed Fred and Ann with 8 children and 23 grandchildren. They loved spending time visiting family and friends and traveling to see those far away. He also enjoyed coffee time with “the guys”.

   He was a longtime member of Grace Community Church and joyfully attended all the worship services and Bible studies, helping whenever he could, until dementia no longer allowed it. He moved into Whispering Heights Nursing Home in June 2017.

   Fred is survived by his wife of almost 71 years, Ann; 7 children, John (Helen) Vlastuin of Rock Valley, Eleanor (Greg) Vande Stouwe of Lansing KS, Don (Paulita) Vlastuin of Farmington AR, Doug (Sheila) Vlastuin of Rogers, AR, Tom (Shelly) Vlastuin of Garfield, AR, Dave (Danielle) Vlastuin of River Falls, WI, Bev (Kevin) Plantenberg of Dakota Dunes, SD; Siblings, Tillie Blom, Elmer Vlastuin, and Nettie (John) Van Surksum; sisters-in-law, Emma Vlastuin and Ramona Vlastuin; 23 grandchildren; 57 great-grandchildren; and 4 great-great-grandchildren.

   Fred was preceded in death by 1 son, Marvin Vlastuin; an infant grandson; great-grandson, Timothy Vlastuin; his parents; 3 siblings, Henrietta (Albert) DeBruin, Gerrit Vlastuin, and Henry Vlastuin; and sister-in-law, Cornelia Vlastuin.