Bernard Bruxvoord (1929-2009)

BRUXVOORT, HIEMSTRA, LEESE, ARKEMA, JOHNSON, FROMMELT, STEELE, FORD, VANDER MOLEN, CLINE, HESSING, SCHIMMEL

Posted By: volunteer
Date: 2/9/2020 at 15:23:14

Bernard Glen Bruxvoort passed away early Thursday morning at Mahaska Hospital in Oskaloosa at the age of 79 years, 9 months and 22 days. Funeral services were held at Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Oskaloosa, Iowa on Monday morning, July 27, 2009, at 10:30 with Rev. Hal Hiemstra and Rev. Marvin Leese officiating. Interment will be at Forest Cemetery, Garden of Benediction in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Garland Van Arkel Langkamp Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangments.

His family included his wife of 60 years, Dora of Oskaloosa; sons & daughters-in-law: Daryl & Clara of Iowa City and Bryce & Sandi of Oskaloosa; daughters & sons-in-law: Patricia & Ken Arkema of Coralville and Connie & Tim Johnson of Plano, Texas; six grandchildren: Teresa Frommelt, Dan Arkema, Emily Bruxvoort Steele, Zachary Johnson, Ian Johnson and Becki Ford; seven great-grandchildren; sisters and brothers-in-law: Sylvia Bruxvoort of Oskaloosa; Mary Ann & Lawrence Vander Molen of Pella; Joyce & Darrell Cline of Oskaloosa and Barbara Bruxvoort of Fort Collins, Colorado; brothers and sisters-in-law: Stanley & Reuvena Bruxvoort of Oskaloosa, Gerald "Jerry" & Shirley Bruxvoort of Oskaloosa and Marvin & Betty Bruxvoort of Pella; and a brother-in-law, John Hessing of Oskaloosa.

Bernard Glen Bruxvoort, son of Guy and Tena Bouma Bruxvoort, was born on October 1, 1929, in Oskaloosa, Iowa. He was one of ten children and grew up helping with all the activities on the family farm. He attended country school, Johnson # 5, in Adams Township. He continued to assist his father on the farm until his marriage to Dora Schimmel, March 4, 1949, at the Christian Reformed Church in Tracy, Iowa. Bernard and Dora moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan where Dora's parents lived and Bernard worked in a factory. They returned to Oskaloosa in 1951 and moved to a farm near Eddyville, after a year on that farm they moved to an adjacent farm, where they remained until 1966. At that time they moved into Oskaloosa and Bernard accepted a position in feed sales with Walnut Grove. He remained with Walnut Grove for 27 years, making many friends over the years, and possibly a few others; he retired in 1991. Since his retirement, Bernard has driven a school bus for Oskaloosa Schools; most recently he gave up driving due to health reasons. He also volunteered as a driver for Disabled Veterans. Bernard was a devoted volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, assisting in the construction of many Habitat Oskaloosa homes over the past 12 years. He also worked as a volunteer for Nelson Pioneer Farm, where he served on the board for several years. He has been a charter member of the Bethel Christian Reformed Church. He enjoyed playing golf with friends and will be greatly missed. Bernard's delight was spending time with his family and friends.

Besides his parents, Bernard was preceded in death by two sisters: Doris Hessing and Dorothy Ann Bruxvoort in infancy.