Gary Vander Waal

Doon, IA: Gary Vander Waal, 85, of Doon, Iowa, died Thursday, October 20, 2022, at Hegg Health Center of Rock Valley, Iowa. A funeral service will be held Thursday, October 27, at 10:30 AM at Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley with Rev. J.J. Witvoet officiating. The service will be audio-streamed at https://www.porterfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/gary-vander-waal. Burial will follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center, Iowa. Visitation, with the family present, will be held Wednesday, October 26, at Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley from 6:00-8:00 PM.

   In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Hegg End of Life Care at Hegg Health Center or the Netherlands Reformed Christian School. Condolences may be left for the family at www.porterfuneralhomes.com.

   Gary Aart Vander Waal was born in the Netherlands on December 6, 1936, to Aart and Tonia (Van Os) Vander Waal. He immigrated with his family to the United States in 1952. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth Ann Hengst on March 27, 1958, in New Jersey. They began farming there and in 1967 moved the dairy to northwest Iowa.

   Gary is survived by his wife of 64 years, Elizabeth; 6 daughters, Tena (William) Blom of Doon, Iowa, Tonia (William) Boluyt of Conklin, Michigan, Elizabeth (Harold) Fluit of Fairview, South Dakota, Trudy (Randall) Van Giessen of Portage, Michigan, Marie (Lyle) Wynia of Canton, South Dakota, and Kristine (Jeffrey) Taylor of Rock Valley, Iowa; 30 grandchildren; 63 great-grandchildren; sisters, Gertrude Wisse of Rock Valley and Marie (Lourens) Willekes of Grand Rapids, Michigan; brothers, Henk Vander Waal and Walter (Sheryl) Vander Waal, both of Orange City, Iowa; brother-in-law, Raymond (Peggy) Hengst of Washington, New Jersey; and sisters-in-law, Elizabeth Ann Vander Waal of Rock Valley and Ann Hengst of Easton, Pennsylvania.

   Gary was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Susan Vander Waal; brothers, Jan (Corrie) Vander Waal, John (Pam) Vander Waal, and Aart Vander Waal; parents-in-law, Charles and Tena Hengst; and brothers-in-law, Leen Wisse, Lawrence (Mildred) Hengst, Harold Hengst, and Peter Hengst.