De Jong, Clifford G. 1915-1995

DE JONG, HIEMSTRA, DE JONG, NAGY

Posted By: Al Hibbard (email)
Date: 10/15/2013 at 20:26:16

Clifford G. De Jong

Services for Clifford Gysbert De Jong, 80, of Pella, who died June 21, 1995, were held June 24 at the First Reformed Church. Garden Chapel Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Interment was in Oakwood Cemetery.

The Rev. Ken Dykstra officiated at the services. Pallbearers were Bob Lanser, Terry, Cliff, Tony, and Timothy De Jong, and Steven Bolich.

Mr. De Jong was born on April 21, 1915 near Sully, the son of Fred and Lena Huyser De Jong. He attended Dairy Grove Country School and graduated from Sully High School in 1932.

He farmed with his father until going into the Railway Mail Service in Chicago, Ill. in August 1936.

On Oct. 12, 1936, he married Mabel Hiemstra. They moved to Chicago, Ill. and he worked in the Chicago Post Office and in the Railway Mail Service. He was a federal employee in the Railway Mail Service for 34 years and during this time they lived in Berwyn, Ill. and in Des Moines. In 1942, they moved to Oskaloosa, and in 1988 they retired to Pella.

He was a member of the First Reformed Church, a ham radio operator who helped missionaries in South America stay in touch with their families in the United States, a member of the Dutch Masters Club, was a Master Gardener for ISU Extension, and was also the treasurer of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Harold; and two grandchildren, Julie De Jong and Jeffrey Nagy.

He is survived by his wife; two sons and their wives, L. Fred and
Barbara of Oskaloosa and Clifford D. and Joan of Colorado Springs, Colo.; one daughter, Mrs. Bill (M. Jan) Nagy of Barrington, Ill.; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Wilma Lanser of Pella and Mildred Devlin of Fountain Hills, Ariz.

A memorial has been established to the First Reformed Church.