Van Essen, Roy 1913-2001

VAN ESSEN, HIEMSTRA, WOUDA

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 8/11/2005 at 20:56:27

OTLEY - Roy Van Essen, 87, of rural Otley, died Wednesday, July 4, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.

His funeral service will be 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Otley Reformed Church, the Rev. Andy Kamphuis and the Rev. Greg Baum officiating. Burial: Silent City Cemetery in Monroe. Visiting hours are open today at Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home in Pella, with family present 6:30-8 p.m. today. Memorials: Paving Fund, Otley Reformed Church.

Nicholas Roy Van Essen was born Oct. 7, 1913, to Robert and Hendreka Mella (Hiemstra) Van Essen on the Jasper County line near Monroe. They soon moved to his grandfather's farm near Fairmont. Roy started school south of Fairmont. In 1921 they moved southeast of Monroe, where Roy began attending Summit Country Grade School. He attended high school in Monroe, and graduated in 1930. He continued farming with his father; when his mother fell ill in 1937, he helped with housework. In the winter of 1938-39, Roy attended an agriculture class part-time in Pella.

On March 22, 1939, he married Sarah Dena Wouda in the Otley Reformed Church parsonage. He continued farming the rest of his life, farming the home place northwest of Otley until November 2000, when he moved in with his daughter and son-in-law, Nora and Donald De Reus of rural Monroe. On May 4, 2001, Roy was admitted to Pella Regional Health Center and transferred to Iowa Methodist in Des Moines.

He had been an elder and a deacon at the Otley Reformed Church, sang in a men's quartet, and was a member of the Men's Brotherhood. He was the church's second-oldest living member until his death. Roy participated in "Forever Young" in Monroe, and enjoyed gardening and freezing produce.

He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law: Nora and Donald Keith De Reus of Monroe; a grandchild, Kevin Wayne De Reus and his wife, Jodi; four great-grandchildren: Jonathan Nicholas, Emily Christine, Sarah Joy and Benjamin Morris De Reus, all of Pella

He was preceded in death by his wife, Sarah D. Van Essen, on May 4, 1984; his parents; and his parents-in-law.

The Oskaloosa Herald, July 6, 2001