De Bruin, Arnold H. 1915-2008

DE BRUIN, BIESHAAR, VERRIPS, VAN OMMEN

Posted By: Ernie Braida (email)
Date: 1/12/2010 at 11:33:49

Arnold Harold De Bruin was the son of Jacob Cornelius and Johanna Bieshaar De Bruin. He and and his twin brother , Harold Arnold, were born on June 18, 1915 in rural Pella, Iowa into a family of 8 siblings.

Arnold attended the Black Oak Country Grade School and graduated from Pella Public High School in Pella. As a young lad, Arnold farmed.

On January 3, 1935, he was united in marriage with Bernice Anna Verrips, a daughter of Samuel and Anna Van Ommen Verrips, whom he had met in high school. Arnold and Bernice were married at the First Reformed Church parsonage in Pella by the Rev. Anthony D. Haverkamp and to this union four sons were born: Larry Eugene, Donald Lee who died at birth in 1938, Charles Edwin and Stanley Wayne.

After living in rural Marion County, Iowa, Arnold and Bernice later purchased the Maid-Rite in Pella which they owned and operated together with her sister and brother-in-law, Dorothy and Dick Leydens. Arnold then became an employee at V & R Grocery Store as a delivery man, which was a common service provided by grocery stores in that day. He later established a dairy route. For 20 years Arnold had an Anderson Erickson milk route, delivering milk products right to and into your home.

Arnold retired in 1980 and during all his working years displayed a real sense of caring for people and providing for their needs. Bernice retired from the dietary department at the Pella Community Hospital after 13 years, and together they enjoyed traveling, all over Europe and to Italy and Israel. They continued living at 716 Jefferson Street and on February 25, 1994, Bernice passed away at the age of 79 years.

Arnold continued to enjoy his grandchildren providing them with chocolate milk and was an avid sports enthusiast.

He became a resident in the Long Term Care Unit at the Pella Regional Health Center in January of 2008 and passed away there on Saturday, November 8, 2008, at the age of 93 years, 4 months and 20 days.

Those who will his memory are his three sons and their wives, 9 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. They and their families are: Larry and Lee (Louwsma) De Bruin of Pella, Iowa; Charles and Susan (Miller) De Bruin of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Stanley and Ann (Veldhuis) De Bruin of Johnston,Iowa. Of his original family Arnold leaves his twin brother, Harold A. De Bruin of Oskaloosa, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his wife,Bernice; his infant son, Donald Lee; his parents: J. C. and Josie De Bruin; two half- brothers and a half- sister and their spouses: Cornie A. and Frances De Bruin, Edna and Gerrit Van Roekel, Henry W. Bruin and his wives, Marie and Henrietta; his three sisters and a brother and their spouses: J. Grace and Gerrit Vis, Albert and Jennie De Bruin, Clara and William Blom, Frances De Bruin; his sister-in-law, Ethel (Harold) De Bruin; and the following sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Marie (Verrips) and John H.Van Arkel, Dorothy (Verrips) and Dick Leydens, Gertrude (Verrips) and Raymond Vander Linden and Wilma Verrips. Arnold was baptized as an infant at the Third Reformed Church in Pella where he made profession of his faith as a teen-ager and remained a faithful member the remainder of his life. His desire was to be remembered as a good Christian father, grandfather, great-grandfather and Brother in Christ.

Burial: Black Oak Cemetery
Van Dyk- Duven Funeral Home