Gerrit Van Noort

HAWARDEN, IOWA ~ Gerrit Van Noort, Jr., “Smokey” 76, of Hawarden, died on Friday, March 3, 2017 at the Hawarden Regional Healthcare Hospital.

Funeral Service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 9, 2017 at the Hawarden United Methodist Church in Hawarden, with Rev. Barb Joy officiating. Burial will follow in the Grace Hill Cemetery at Hawarden. Visitation will begin at noon Wednesday, with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church. The Porter Funeral Home is assisting the family. Condolences may be sent to www.porterfuneralhomes.com.

Gerrit was born December 8, 1940 at Fairview, South Dakota, the son of Gerrit and Agnes (Van Der Ven) Van Noort. He married Sharon Ann Hedden on September 1, 1960 at Hawarden. Gerrit farmed for 10 years between Fairview and Akron, Iowa. He worked at a packing plant for 5 years in Le Mars and was employed at Lynott Implement in Hawarden as a mechanic for many years. He later ran a repair shop.

Gerrit enjoyed fishing, camping, making fish lures, and running his bait shop. He was always growing a big garden and canning the vegetables. He liked to cut wood, playing cards, and talking on the CB (he was known as “Rusty Wrench”). He enjoyed spending time with his family. Smokey loved “Ma”, (his wife) and his dog Moca.

Gerrit got the name Smokey at 3 days old, as his parents listened to Roy Acuff (Smokey Mountain Boy). To some of the great grandkids, Mom and Dad are known as Grandpa and Grandma Smokey.

Smokey is survived by his wife, Sharon; 6 children, Audree and Roger Olson of Hawarden, Duane and Rebecca Van Noort of Hudson, South Dakota, Jeffery and Michelle Van Noort of Hawarden, Ann and Bill Sieler of Rock Valley, Iowa, Brett and Denise Van Noort of Akron, and Teri Van Noort and fiancé Treva of Inwood, Iowa; 18 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; 2 sisters, Clara Bruinsma of Stickney, South Dakota and Agnes Wulf of Hawarden; brother-in-law, John and wife Betty De Bruin of Rock Valley; 2 sisters-in-law, Minnie Van Noort of Indiana and Rose Van Noort of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and many nieces and nephews.

Smokey was preceded in death by his parents, Gerrit and Agnes; Sharon’s parents, Wayne and Bernice Hedden; son, Mark Wayne Van Noort; siblings, Jake and wife Elsie Van Noort, William Van Noort, Bernard and wife Beverly Van Noort, Marven Van Noort, Nancy and husband Walter De Boer, Anna Marie and husband Dirk Overweg, and Doris De Bruin; brothers-in-law, Eldon Bruinsma and Lawrence Wulf; and great-granddaughter, Alexis Van Bochove.

Prayer Service

Funeral Service