Van Zee, LeRoy A. 1920-2013

VAN ZEE, BEYER, MOL, NIEUWSMA, MORGAN, WHALLEY, MILLER, MENDEZ, VANDE WEERD, SMITH, VOS, NETTEN, JELLEMA, HASSELMAN

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 5/1/2015 at 19:20:48

LeRoy A. Van Zee
Pella

LeRoy Allen Van Zee was born near Otley, Iowa, on December 30, 1930, to Bertha (Beyer) and William Martin Van Zee. He grew up near Prairie City and Monroe, Iowa. LeRoy attended the Prairie City Christian Reformed Church and graduated from Monroe High School in 1948. After graduation he helped his father on the farm and then was employed by the Maytag Company in Newton, Iowa. LeRoy enlisted in the United States Air Force in January, 1951, and was sent to Glendale, California.

He returned to Iowa to marry Ilda Lou Mol at the First Reformed Church in Sully, Iowa, on November 13, 1951. Three children were born to bless this union: Douglas Scott, Melody Sue, and Jill Ann.

LeRoy and Ilda Lou moved to Denver, Colorado, while LeRoy was stationed at Lowry Air Base. They attended the First Reformed Church in Denver while Rev. Ralph Menning was the pastor. Through his preaching and the prompting of the Holy Spirit, LeRoy accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord. He made his confession of faith at the First Reformed Church in Sully before he left for Okinawa in September, 1952. While in Okinawa he served his country as a propeller mechanic on B29 Bombers during the Korean Conflict. While he was overseas their son, Doug, was born in January, 1953. LeRoy returned to the United States in March of 1954 and was stationed in Rantoul, Illinois, until his discharge in December, 1954. Following his military service, LeRoy joined his father, Bill, in the Oliver farm equipment dealership in Pella, Iowa, where he worked as a tractor mechanic and machinery repairman. When his father retired in 1972, LeRoy bought the business at 1205 Washington Street in Pella. He later built new facilities in 1983, one mile west of Pella, with his son, Doug, as a partner. They sold the business in 1992 when LeRoy retired after 37 years in the farm equipment business. LeRoy was an active member of the Iowa-Nebraska Farm Equipment Dealers Association. After his retirement LeRoy worked part-time at Steenhoek Implement in Knoxville, Iowa, the Super Wash in Pella, and drove the bus for the Central College Women’s Softball team, which he enjoyed very much. LeRoy was an avid reader and enjoyed history, visiting aviation museums, and traveling with Ilda Lou.

On Monday afternoon, March 4, 2013, he passed away at the Hospice of Pella Comfort House in Pella at the age of 82 years.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 61 years, Ilda Lou Van Zee; his three children and their families:
Douglas and Marilyn (Nieuwsma) Van Zee of Pella
Scott and Brittany Van Zee of Galesburg, IA
Ivan Morgan, Evan Van Zee
Erin and Kyle Whalley of Liberty, MO
Nolan Whalley, Nicholas Whalley
Melody and Tom Miller of Corning, Iowa
Emily Miller and Miguel Mendez of Norwalk, IA
Briela Mendez, Bianca Mendez
Jill and Sam Vande Weerd of Pella
Bailey Vande Weerd of Pella
Zach Vande Weerd of Pella
Ross Vande Weerd of Pella

LeRoy leaves his two sisters and their husbands: Helen and Marvin Smith of Ankeny, Iowa, Joyce and Ray Vos of Pella; two nieces and a nephew; and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, William M. and Bertha Van Zee; his step-mother, Etta (Netten) Jellema Van Zee; and his parents-in-law, Jacob and Agnes (Hasselman) Mol.

LeRoy was a long time member of the Trinity Reformed Church in Pella where he had served as a Deacon and an Elder; served as Sunday School superintendent, and a teacher of youth and adult classes. He was also a supporter of Hope Ministries, Crossroads Bible Institute and the Gideons International.

Funeral services will be held
Friday, March 8, 2013 at 10:30 a.m.
Trinity Reformed Church, Pella,Iowa
Committal service will follow at the Oakwood Cemetery in Pella with military honors.

Visitation will begin after 1:00 p.m. on Thursday at the Trinity Reformed Church where the family will be present Thursday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.

The family respectfully requests that memorial contributions be designated for the building fund at Trinity Reformed Church, the Gideon’s International or Hospice of Pella, Iowa. ~ Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home, Pella, Iowa 4 Mar 2013.