BOBELDYK, Walter 1921-2006

BOBELDYK, VANOORT, FOLKERTS, CNOSSEN-BREUKER, KLEINHEKSEL, KOLENBRANDER, LUNDIE

Posted By: Diane M Scott (email)
Date: 11/16/2012 at 12:34:29

Walter Bobeldyk – Born April 2, 1921 Doon, Lyon, Iowa – Died August 5, 2006 Holland Michigan

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Walter Bobeldyk, age 85, of Holland, Michigan, died Saturday, August 05, 2006, at Holland Hospital.

Surviving are his wife of 63 years, Harriet Bobeldyk, of Holland; Children, Denny and Belva Bobeldyk, of Holland, Sandy and Harold Drenten, of Zeeland, Barb Heldt, of Hudsonville, and Curt and Lynn Bobeldyk, of West Olive; 10 Grandchildren; 2 Great Grandchildren; Sisters, Jeanette and Al Van Oort, of Rock Valley, Iowa, Lois and Roy Folkerts, of Inwood, Iowa, and Jennie Cnossen-Breuker, of Holland; Brothers, Allen Bobeldyk, of Sioux Falls, SD, and Eugene Bobeldyk, of Holland; In-laws, Gertrude Kleinheksel, Bernice and Ed Kolenbrander, and Bev and Bill Lundie.

He is also survived by several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Funeral services are scheduled for 11:00 AM Tuesday, at Maplewood Reformed Church, Holland. Officiating will be the Rev. John Kleinheksel.

Burial will be in Graafschap Cemetery. Visitation is scheduled on Monday, from 6-9 PM, at the Mulder Chapel, Dykstra Life Story Funeral Homes, 188 W. 32nd Street, in Holland. Memorial contributions may be made to the Maplewood Reformed Church Mission Memorial Fund. Please visit Walter's personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can archive a favorite memory or sign the online guestbook

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LIFESTORY:

Throughout his lifetime Walter Bobeldyk fulfilled many roles. He was a loving husband, a father, a grandfather, a proud veteran, and a hardworking employee. It never took him long to realize what he wanted out of life and he went for it. From leaving the fields of Iowa, to serving his country in WW II, to marrying the girl of his dreams, Walter made the most of each day he was given. This September when the Hope College Flying Dutchmen take the field, there will be one person missing from the stands. Although Walter won't be there to support his favorite team, it is certain he will be smiling down on them from above.

Perched atop a plateau in the northwestern corner of Iowa, sits the small farming community of Doon. Its prime location on the Big Rock, Little Rock, and West Branch Rivers combined with beautiful rolling hills and fertile soil attracted many settlers throughout the late 1800s, but it wasn't until after WW I, when the price of farm commodities soared, that the town's popularity also soared.
As spring arrived in 1921, Doon's farmers were preparing their fields for the next bountiful harvest, while John and Gertrude (Franken) Bobeldyk were busy preparing themselves for a new arrival of their own. At last, on April 2, they proudly welcomed a son they named Walter.

While following in your father's footsteps may be attractive for some, Walter realized early on that he was not interested in becoming a farmer. Even as one of nine children in his family, there was still plenty of work to be done and chores to go around. As though the job of a farmer was not hard enough, as the decade drew to an end, the stock market took a dive and drought ravaged the Great Plains. So when Walter came of age, he decided to leave the farms of Iowa and set out for Holland, Michigan. He had relatives living in Holland and he knew that his chances of finding work were much better there.
At home in his new town, Walter took advantage of some of the activities that Holland had to offer, including skating. While hanging out at a local skating rink, Walter was introduced to an attractive young lady named Harriet Kleinheksel. It didn't take Walter long to realize that Harriet was the one for him, so after a brief courtship, the couple decided to marry. When America entered WW II in 1941, Walter heeded the call of his country and enlisted in the United States Army. During his service, he was called to fight overseas where he was involved in the D-Day invasion of Normandy and the liberation of Europe
After receiving his discharge from the Army, Walter returned to Holland and accepted a position as a welder at Hart and Cooley. When he retired from there in 1983, he had put in more than 36 years of service with the company. Walter also had a passion for sports, as both a fan and a participant. Over the years he had helped coach many softball and basketball teams, but will be most remembered for his love of Hope College athletics, especially football and basketball. For over 60 years he cheered on the Flying Dutchmen, through dismal football seasons like the one in '61 to perfect seasons like the one in '84, Walter was there for it all. When Saturdays in the fall didn't go so well for his beloved team, he prayed a little harder on Sundays, as a faithful member of Maplewood Reformed Church. A devout Christian, loving husband, and devoted father and grandfather, in passing Walter will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by all.

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