Slings, Harold Ira 1918-2014

SLINGS, BOERTJE, DE BOER, DE JONG, VAN SANT, DE BRIES, VAN WILLIGEN, VAN ZEE, VAN GORP, DE PENNING

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 6/26/2015 at 11:53:58

Harold Ira Slings was born in a farmhouse near Leighton, Iowa on May 30, 1918, to Isaac & Adrianna (Boertje) Slings. After a few years, the family moved to a farm near Prairie City, Iowa, and Harold attended the local country school.

In August of 1941, Harold was one of the first young men drafted into the United States Army from Jasper County, Iowa. After training camp in Massachusetts, Camp Gordon, Georgia and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, he was assigned to help guard the United States from Virginia to the Florida Keys.

On December 20, 1942, Harold married Martha De Boer at the Second Christian Reformed Church in Pella, Iowa. Harold was then sent to the European Theater of World War II. He was in the second wave of men to go on shore at Omaha Beach in the Allied Invasion of Normandy. He followed General Patton across Europe until he was wounded near Nancy, France. After a stormy, dangerous trip across the North Atlantic, he was hospitalized in New York City over Christmas of 1944. He was next sent to a hospital near Sacramento, California, and after many surgeries, he was sent home on November 15, 1945. He continued to have service-related effects the remainder of his life.

Following his discharge, Harold and Martha farmed west of Pella for a few years and then moved to a farm west of Leighton.

Harold and Martha had three children: Dorothy J., Marvin and Richard Lee. Harold took agronomy classes and was a progressive livestock and grain farmer. Many family times were spent attending softball games as Harold played first base for the Leighton team for many years. He also enjoyed spending evenings with family trips to Lake Keomah for swimming and ice cream on the way home. As the children grew older, he loved going to their sporting and school activities.
After moving to Pella for his semi-retirement, Harold did carpentry work and later did maintenance work at the Super 8 Motel. Harold loved to read and did lots of wood-working. He made many gifts for Martha and their children and grandchildren. He was a faithful servant at the Second Christian Reformed Church, teaching classes, serving as a youth leader and an elder for many years.

Harold went to glory on March 10, 2014, at the age of 95 years, 9 months and 10 days, following several weeks of illness while being cared for at the Pella Regional Health Center in Pella.

He is joining his family members in glory: his son, Richard Slings and grandson, Michael De Jong; his parents, Isaac and Adrianna Slings; his brothers: Rodger and Andrew Slings; his sister, Berdina and her husband Willis Van Sant; Martha’s parents: Garrett & Dora (De Vries) De Boer; and her siblings: Peter & Ann De Boer, Richard and Rita De Boer and Ted De Boer.
Mourning his passing are his wife of 71 years, Martha; their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren:
Dorothy and Howard De Jong
Anna and Greg Drake
Kyle, Andrea, Emma, Jaden
Beth Dieleman
Jake, Luke
Craig and Heather De Jong
Cole, Wyatt, Sarah
Marvin and Lynda (Van Willigen) Slings
Melynda and Brian Van Zee
Zachary, Grant, Drew
Dan and Karen Slings
Rachel, Isaac, Hannah
Melissa and Mark Van Gorp
Joshua, Allison, Jonathan, Julianne
(Richard) Judy (Klein) Slings
Jody and Robin De Penning
Robinson, Nicole
Russell Slings
Harold also leaves two sisters-in-law: Laura (Andrew) Slings of Pella, Madeline (Rodger) Slings of Prairie City, Iowa. He will also be missed by his Fairhaven and Cottage family, friends and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held
Saturday, March 15, 2014 at 11:00 a.m.
Second Christian Reformed Church, Pella, Iowa
Interment will be made in the Evergreen Cemetery at Leighton, IA

Visitation will begin Friday afternoon where the family will be present from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Van Dyk- Duven Funeral Home in Pella.

Memorial contributions may be given for the Second Christian Reformed Church building fund. ~ The Van-Dyke Duven Funeral Home, Pella, Iowa Mar 2014.