De Jong, Frank John 1924-2006

DE JONG, TILMA, VROOM, VANDER LINDEN

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 7/29/2006 at 19:51:41

Frank John De Jong was the fourth of seven children that were born to Garrett D. and Rena Tilma De Jong. He was born on September 24, 1924, at Otley, Iowa.

Frank received his formal education attending the Liberty Corner Country Grade School through the eighth grade and then Pella Christian High School in Pella, Iowa. Frank was a guard on the first Pella Christian High School basketball team. His schooling was interrupted, however, as his older brother, Dick, sustained a leg injury which necessitated Frank discontining his schooling to assist his parents on the family farm. As a young lad Frank also worked as a hired hand, drove truck for the Otley Cooperative Exchange and hauled coal.

On March 17, 1947, he was united in marriage with Vera Naomi Vroom, a daughter of the late Cornie and Jennie Vander Linden Vroom, at the home of her sister and her husband, Viola and Henry B. VerMeer. To this union two children were born: Douglas V. De Jong and Carol Diane De Jong. Frank and Naomi, as she was known, took over the family farm West of Pella following their marriage. Frank had a passion for growing things from corn and soybeans on his farm to cyclamens at De Jong Greenhouse, following his retirement in 1993. "Growing things" was a privilege he never took for granted. He made sure his land was ready for those that followed him; John Bruxvoort, now continues this care. Frank and Naomi moved from their one and only family farm home into Pella in 2004.

Frank was an advocate of life long learning from his early work with the Marion County Extension Service to his encouragement and pride in the educational accomplishments of his children and grandchildren, such as their driving skills learned by driving the pick-up on the farm. Frank felt that no education was complete without being able to argue with one's pastor or a Republican. He generously shared of his time and influence by serving on the building committees of the First Christian Reformed Church, both the Pella Christian Grade School and Pella Christian High School and the Christian Benevolent Association (Pella Manor and Fair Haven).

Throughout their married life, Frank and Naomi enjoyed travel, be it the family fishing vacation in Minnesota to their trips to Mexico with friends. Whether on such trips, morning coffee or dining out with friends in Pella, Frank loved to talk. Naomi believed Frank would die talking. His two children and four grandchildren agreed. On Wednesday morning, May 17, 2006, Frank passed away at the Pella Regional Health Center in Pella following a 13 year encounter with a lung ailment. He attained the age of 81 years, 7 months and 23 days.

Those who will cherish his memory are his loving wife of 59 years, Naomi; their two children: Doug and his wife, Pat (Engbers) De Jong of Iowa City, Iowa and their two children: Nicole De Jong of Portland, Oregon and Jessica De Jong of Seattle, Washington; and Carol De Jong of San Diego, California and her two children: Jamie De Jong of San Francisco, California and Alex De Jong of Fort Collins, Colorado. Of his original family Frank leaves his sister, Effie and her husband, John H. Vermeer and a brother, John J. De Jong; and a sister-in-law, Marilyn (Gerald) De Jong all of Pella. Frank was preceded in death by his parents, Garrett D. and Rena De Jong; two sisters: Nellie E. Nikkel, Cora J. and her husband, Arie Dahm; two brothers: Dick A. De Jong and his wife, Estallene, Gerald J. De Jong; and a sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Viola(Vroom) and Henry B. Ver Meer.

Frank loved sports from playing basketball in high school to critiquing the play of his children and grandchildren and their coaches. If he wasn't watching sports, he was reading a Western novel by Louis L'Amour or watching a movie starring John Wayne. Frank truly enjoyed life and what ever situation he found himself in he tried by word and deed to leave it a little bit better than he found it.

The Pella Chronicle, June 16, 2006