John Vande Hoef

Rock Valley, IA: John Vande Hoef, 82, of Rock Valley, Iowa, died Friday, January 26, 2024, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A funeral service will be held Tuesday, January 30, at 10:30 AM at the Netherlands Reformed Church of Rock Valley with Rev. J.J. Witvoet officiating. Private family burial will be held at Valley View Cemetery of Rock Valley. Visitation with the family present will be held Monday, January 29, from 5:00-7:00 PM at Porter Funeral Home of Rock Valley. 

   In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Netherlands Reformed Christian School.

   John Vande Hoef, son of John and Rena (Den Boer) Vande Hoef, was born January 3, 1942, in Rock Valley, Iowa. He attended school in Inwood. John spent most of his life living in or around Rock Valley. On May 19, 1959, John was united in marriage with Betty De Bruin. The couple farmed near Rock Valley. Betty died in 1975 after a long illness. John married Kathy Driesen on August 16, 1977. A couple years later, in 1979, John started Vande Hoef Construction which he owned and operated for 31 years. John’s son, Brian, bought the business in 2010, but John never really retired as he continued to help for several years. He loved his work!

   John had a heart for helping others and spent many years working with people who battled alcoholism. In addition to being an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous since 1980, John also served as board member of the New Life Treatment Center in Woodstock, Minnesota for many years. John was also actively involved with the Farmers Lumber Company, by serving on its board as well as informally mentoring a few of the managers over the years. John was also a long-time member of the Netherland Reformed Congregation.

   John loved time spent with his children and grandchildren. Family was very special to him. He also enjoyed walking or riding around and keeping an eye on Rock Valley as well as coffee with the guys at Cenex – Community Oil.   

   John is survived by his wife of 46 years, Kathy; 6 children, Jim (Tami) Vande Hoef of Worthing, South Dakota, Tami (Perry) Hoogendoorn of Doon, Iowa, Kevin (Janice) Driesen of Hull, Iowa, Brian (Kris) Vande Hoef of Rock Valley, Amy (Kenny) Koedam of Inwood, and Jaron (Anne) Vande Hoef of Sioux Center, Iowa; 25 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; twin brother, Jake Vande Hoef of Rapid City, South Dakota; sister, Helen Loeffler of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and siblings-in-law, Kathy Vande Hoef, Gert Hibma, Mary Driesen, Joann Driesen, Mary Koenen, Jim De Bruin, Elaine (Jerrold) Van Roekel, Brad (Brenda) De Bruin, and Kathy (Marv) Schelling.

   He was preceded in death by his first wife, Betty; parents, John and Rena; granddaughter, Katie Hoogendoorn; great-grandson, Connor Rozeboom; brother, Ron Vande Hoef; parents-in-law, Albert and Henrietta De Bruin and John and Henrietta Driesen; and siblings-in-law, Sandy Vande Hoef, Irvin Loeffler, John De Bruin, Betty De Bruin, Sue De Bruin, Doris De Bruin, Gerrit Koenen, Edwin Driesen, Harvey Driesen, and Harold Driesen.