VANDEEST, William B. 1916-2002

VANDEEST, SAATHOFF, HUISMAN

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 6/17/2014 at 11:54:07

William B. Van Deest, 86, of rural Wellsburg, died Wednesday, Oct. 16, at Grundy County Memorial Hospital. Funeral services were held Saturday, Oct. 19 at Wellsburg Reformed Church with burial following at the church cemetery. A memorial fund has been established.

William was born September 16, 1916 at home in rural Grundy County, the son of Ben and Harmka (Saathoff) Van Deest. He received his education at Herbert Quick-Colfax #9 School in rural Grundy County. On May 15, 1939, William was united in marriage to Esther Huisman at the Wellsburg Reformed Church parsonage. He had worked for the Rock Island Railroad in Wellsburg for a few years. Following this, he drove truck hauling gravel for a few years and in 1943, he and Esther moved to the farm in rural Wellsburg enjoying sixty-three years of marriage together. They raised nine children. Esther died on August 25, 2002.

William was a member of Wellsburg Reformed Church. He loved to watch his children and grandchildren participate in sporting events. He also enjoyed fishing.

He is survived by six sons: Ben and Dee Van Deest of Sioux Falls, SD, Ted and Linda Van Deest of Wellsburg, Jim and Shirley Van Deest of Grundy Center, Larry and Faye Van Deest of Grundy Center, Alvin and Michelle Van Deest of Wellsburg, Melvin and Jani Van Deest of Clive; three daughters; Linda and Howard Peters of Maxwell, Susan and Alan Lutterman of Holland, and Coleen and Tim Ralston of Grundy Center. There are twenty-one grandchildren and twenty-one great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two brothers Herbert and Margaret Van Deest, and Benjamin and Jennie Van Deest all of rural Grundy Center and one sister, Greta Flater of Grundy Center.

William was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Esther; two grandchildren Leah Van Deest and Allen Van Deest; four brothers Albert, Adolph, John, and Raymond Van Deest; and two sisters Gepka Graves and Jennie Meester.

--The Grundy Register/Wellsburg Herald (Grundy Center, Iowa), 24 October 2002, pg 14