John H. Van Veldhuizen

DOON, IOWA- John H. Van Veldhuizen, 80, of rural Doon, Iowa, passed away after a lengthy and courageous battle with brain cancer, on Friday, October 7, 2016 at his residence surrounded by his family.

Funeral Service will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 11, 2016 at the First Reformed Church in Rock Rapids, Iowa with Rev. Dan Haggar and his nephew Rev. Rob Horstman officiating. A luncheon will follow the funeral with burial at 2:15 p.m. at the Valley View Cemetery in Rock Valley, Iowa. Visitation with the family will be from 6 p.m. to 8 pm. Monday at the Porter Funeral Home in Rock Valley, Iowa. Condolences may be sent to www.porterfuneralhomes.com. The family prefers memorials to Hospice Beecin Foundation of Lyon County in Rock Rapids or Hope Haven in Rock Valley.

John H. Van Veldhuizen was born September 14, 1936 near Hull, Iowa, the son of Henry and Dena (Brinkman) Van Veldhuizen. He married Garlene Van Maanen on May 28, 1958 on a farm near Inwood, Iowa. He worked at Kooikers in Hull before moving to Ripon, California where he was employed with Wallenburg Construction. They moved back to Iowa where he drove an ice cream truck for a short while. They started farming, first near Hudson, South Dakota and later near Doon and then near Alvord. John was also employed at Hope Haven in Rock Valley for 8 years while farming.

He was a member of the First Reformed Church in Rock Rapids where he served as an Elder, taught Sunday school and helped with the youth club. He enjoyed the many Sunday meals with his family and they loved to go on cruises, to such places as Alaska, Hawaii, Jamaica, and Panama. John liked collecting farm caps.

Survivors include his wife Garlene; 7 children, Kevin (Fawn) Van Veldhuizen of Sioux Falls, SD, Ken Van Veldhuizen of Inwood, IA, Kathy (Bruce) Moser-Hasche of Lester, IA, Jeff (Stacia) Van Veldhuizen of Alvord, IA, Randy Van Veldhuizen of Rock Rapids, IA, Amy (Mark) Timmerman of Inwood, IA, and Gina (Nolan) Den Boer of Rock Valley, IA; 34 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; his siblings, Greta Van Middendorp of Sheldon, IA, Verna Wallenburg of Modesto, CA, Pearl (Arnold) Nielsen of Hull, IA, Della (Marlo) Muth of Akron, IA, Bernie (Sharon) Van Veldhuizen of Rock Valley, IA, and Lester (Harriet) Van Veldhuizen of Doon, IA; John’s in-laws, Gerald and Marcia Van Ginkel, Audrey Van Maanen, Bob and Glenda Horstman, Roger and Lori Van Maanen and Frank and Julie Boyer.

John was preceded in death by his parents; son-in-law, Mike Moser; a sister, Henrietta Van Der Weide; an infant brother; infant twin sisters; a chosen brother, Ed Van Veldhuizen; his in-laws, Marv Vander Weide, Hank Wallenburg, and Arnold Sohl; and Garlene’s family, Roy and Grace Van Maanen, Edwin Van Maanen, and Joy Van Maanen.

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