Gary Jay Baartman

Rock Valley, IA: Gary Jay Baartman, 71, of Rock Valley, Iowa, passed away on Sunday, June 11, 2023, at his residence under hospice care. A funeral Service will be held at 10:30 AM, Thursday, June 15, 2023, at Trinity Christian Reformed Church of Rock Valley with Rev. Henry Lengkeek and Rev. Stanley Groothof officiating. The service will be livestreamed at https://livestream.com/accounts/17373723/trinitycrcservices. Burial will follow at Valley View Cemetery of Rock Valley. Visitation with the family will be held from 5:00-7:00 PM, Wednesday, June 14, at Trinity Christian Reformed Church. Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley is assisting the family with arrangements.

   Gary Jay Baartman was born December 12, 1951, in Tyler, Minnesota, the son of Gerald and Mathilda (Klomp) Baartman. He grew up on a farm near Ward, South Dakota until he was 8 years old. They moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota where he attended Sioux Falls Christian and Patrick Henry Middle School, before graduating from Lincoln High School. He lived in Sioux Center, Iowa where he worked for Sioux-Preme Packing for a few years before returning to Sioux Falls.

   Gary married Marcella “Marcie” Kroll on September 29, 1972, in Colton, South Dakota. He worked for Mielman Food until they moved to Rock Valley, Iowa on April 1, 1975, where they raised their family and served as foster parents for three years. Gary worked at Doorn Paint and later as a machinist at Kooimas (now TCS) until September of 2017. Gary also drove school bus for Rock Valley Christian School for almost 38 years.

   Gary was a longtime member of Trinity Christian Reformed Church where he was the sound technician for many years. He spent many hours working to improve the sound system at the church. If he couldn’t find a part he needed, he scrounged until he found it. He was on a first name basis with anyone who knew anything about “sound”. He enjoyed doing yard work, gardening, and sitting in the gazebo having a cold drink or coffee and having a fire in the firepit with family and friends. Camping was a big part of his life, family and friends were always welcome to join. Gary also played bass guitar in the band “Covenant” for several years.

   Gary is lovingly survived by his wife, Marcie; four children, Jennifer Baartman and her two daughters, Sienna and Haylie of Leota, Minnesota, Jason (Lindsay Bleile) Baartman of Sioux Falls, Nathan Baartman and his children, Bentlee, Olivier, and Willamena of Adel, Iowa, and Brian (Amanda) Baartman and their sons, Judah and Bennett also of Adel; his siblings, Jeff (Rene) Baartman of Sioux Falls and Bruce (Vicki) Baartman of Fort Myers, Florida; sister-in-law, Phyllis (Dick) Stratton of Hartford, South Dakota; and Marcie’s family: Roger (Marlys) Kroll of Sioux Center, Sherri Vostad of Sioux Falls, Glenda (Henry) Kraayenbrink of Sioux Center, Randy (Rachel) Kroll of New Brighton, Minnesota, Dennis (Rose) Kroll of Edgerton, Minnesota, and Bethany Haywood of Catonsville, Maryland.

   Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Gerald and Till; brother, Don Baartman; Marcie’s parents, Egbert and Willie Kroll; her brothers, Gary Kroll and Robert Kroll; and grandson, Josiah Levi Baartman.