Gerrit Vander Streek

Rock Rapids, IA: Gerrit J. Vander Streek, 86, of Rock Rapids, Iowa died Saturday, October 14, 2017 at Lyon Specialty Care in Rock Rapids. Memorial services will be held Friday, October 20 at 12:00 PM at the Christian Reformed Church of Rock Rapids with Rev. Cliff Hoekstra officiating. Private family burial will be held prior to the service at Valley View Cemetery of Rock Valley, Iowa. Visitation will be held Thursday from 5:00-8:00 PM with the family present from 6:00-8:00 PM at Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley. Memorials may be given to the Christian Reformed Church Bell Tower Maintenance Fund.

Gerrit John Vander Streek, son of William and Carrie (Bakker) Vander Streek, was born southeast of Rock Valley, Iowa on March 8, 1931. Gerrit John was baptized in the Carmel Reformed Church. Gerrit John left for the Army on December 8, 1952. He took his basic training in Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. He was shipped out of Fort Lewis, Washington on May 26, 1953. He went overseas to Korea, where he was for fourteen months and twenty days. He was on the front-line July 27, 1953 when the truce was signed. Gerrit John was released in Fort Carson, Colorado on September 3, 1954. In 1955 he started farming in the Middleburg, Iowa area after he got out of the armed forces.

Gerrit John married Minerva Hulstein on June 27, 1958 at the home of Minerva’s parents. He and Minerva kept farming in the Middleburg area for 13 years. Gerrit John, Minerva, and family attended the Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center, Iowa. In January 1968 they moved to a farm southwest of Rock Rapids, Iowa that they purchased and they attended the Christian Reformed Church of Rock Rapids. In 1990 Gerrit John and Minerva sold their dairy herd, but kept farming the land. On December 4, 1992 their oldest son, Gerrit, was killed in a car-van accident at Westbrook, Minnesota. In August of 1994 Gerrit John and Minerva moved into Rock Rapids.

Gerrit was very much involved in the American Legion until his health declined. He moved to the nursing home on October 1, 2012.

Gerrit is survived by his wife of 59 years, Minerva of Rock Rapids, Iowa; five daughters: Gracia (John) Kuipers of Platte, South Dakota and their children Wendell and Alicia, Carla (Frank) Sheda of Wayne, Nebraska, Wilma (Timothy) Mulder of Sioux Center, Iowa and their children, Brent, Mary, and Mark, Connie (Kevin) Van Bruggen of George, Iowa and her children, Brian, Brandon, Eric, and Kendra Timmerman, Myra (Greg) Modder of George, Iowa and their children, Scott, Dustin, and Brianna; two sons: Willard (Loretta) Vander Streek of Rock Rapids, Iowa and their sons, Jesse and Jordan, Henry (Jayna) Vander Streek of Rock Rapids, Iowa and their children, Cody Hoy, Krista, Travis, and Colton Vander Streek; daughter-in-law, Donna Vosberg of Revere, Minnesota and her daughter Dina; seven great-grandchildren; and three sisters, Caroline Kuipers of Hull, Iowa, Henrietta Lamfers of Brandon, South Dakota, and Jessie Landaal of Worthington, Minnesota.

He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Carrie (Bakker) Vander Streek; son, Gerrit Vander Streek; and sister, Jeanette Bannick.

Visitation

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM ,Thursday, October 19, 2017
Porter Funeral Home ~ Rock Valley
1704 15th Street Rock Valley, Iowa, Sioux 51247

Memorial Service

12:00 PM ,Friday, October 20, 2017
Christian Reformed Church of Rock Rapids
301 S Bradley Street Rock Rapids, Iowa, Lyon 51246