De Wit, Donald L. 1941-2011

DE WIT, DE VRIES, ELLIOTT, WICAL, VANDERHYDE, KAMERICK, GROENENDYK, PARMER, VAN TOORN, MCGEE

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/7/2023 at 12:38:49

Donald De Wit Obituary
1941-2011
Tracy

Funeral services, Monday, 10:30 a.m. Church of the Open Bible in Pella. Visitation Sunday at Van Dyk- Duven Funeral Home with family present from 4 to 6 p.m. Donald L. De Wit was born in Oskaloosa, IA and graduated from Pella Christian High School in Pella,IA. He then attended Central College in Pella for one year. Don began working at the Rolscreen Company in Pella in 1963 and was a devoted employee of the Pella Corporation for 40 years. His last position was as a continuous improvement technician when he retired in January 2004.

Don and his wife, Barbara, were avid campers and enjoyed camping at the Iowa State Fair where he worked in the campground parking lot. He was presently serving as president of the Wapello County Travelin' Sams Club. Don and Barb also enjoyed square dancing and were members of the Lads & Lassies Square Dancing Club. Don passed away on Thursday at Mercy Hospital Medical Center in Des Moines at the age of 70 years.

Those who will cherish his memory are his loving wife, Barbara; their seven children and their spouses: Daniel De Wit of Ames, IA; Timothy and Merri Lea De Wit of Cedar Rapids, IA; Beverly and B. J. De Vries of Phoenix, AZ; Steven and Jill De Wit of Tracy; Heidi Elliott of Tracy; Emily and Ralph Wical of Jacksonville, FL; Alesha and Jon Vanderhyde of Tracy; 20 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Published by the Des Moines Register on Nov. 20, 2011.
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Donald Lee De Wit
BIRTH
19 Mar 1941
Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa, USA
DEATH
17 Nov 2011 (aged 70)
Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa, USA
BURIAL
Sand Ridge Cemetery
Mahaska County, Iowa, USA
MEMORIAL ID
80838490 · View Source
MEMORIAL

Donald Lee DeWit was the first of three sons that were born to George and Effie (Kamerick) DeWit of Pella, Iowa. He was born on March 19, 1941, in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Don attended the Pella Christian Schools in Pella and graduated from Pella Christian High School with the Class of 1950. He then attended Central College in Pella for one year. Don began working at the Rolscreen Company in Pella on March 8, 1963. After his first day of employment there he went on a blind date with Barbara Ann Groenendyk of Tracy, Iowa. Don and Barb were united in marriage on June 26, 1964, at the First Christian Reformed Church in Pella. Together they raised seven lovely children in Tracy: Daniel Lee, Timothy James, Beverly Ann, Steven John, Heidi Elaine, Emily Rose, and Alesha Dawn. Don provided for their family by being a devoted employed of the Pella Corporation for 40 years. He was a foreman in the paint room and then became a master craftsman in the custom shop. His last position was as a continuous improvement technician when he retired in January 2004. Don continued to use his woodworking skills during his retirement. When not doing woodworking he enjoyed gardening, fishing, cooking, traveling, and camping. Don and Barb were avid campers and enjoyed camping at the Iowa State Fair where he worked in the campground parking lot. He was presently serving as president of the Wapello County Travelin' Sams Club. Don and Barb also enjoyed square dancing and were members of the Lads & Lassies Square Dancing Club. But most important for Don, was the time he spent with his grandchildren and serving the Lord through his church, presently the Bethel Christian Church near Bussey, Iowa. Don's health began to decline during the last 2 years and on November 15, 2011, was life flighted to Mercy Hospital Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa following a fall at his home in Tracy. He underwent surgery there and passed away on Thursday evening, November 17, 2011, at the age of 70 years.

He was loved by all who knew him and will be missed by all. Those who will cherish his memory are his loving wife, Barbara, and their seven children and their families. They are: Daniel DeWit of Ames, Iowa, Brooklyn DeSart, Jaxon, Lillian, Timothy and Merri Lea DeWit of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, James, Ryan, Beverly and B.J. DeVries of Phoenix, Arizona, Zachariah, Elizabeth, Jeremiah, Jaazaniah, Steven and Jill Dewit of Tracy, Iowa, Joshua, Elizabeth and Alan, Ashley, Taylor, Bryon, Madison Heidi Elliott of Tracy, Iowa, Austin, Erica, Emily and Ralph Wical of Jacksonville, Florida, Jesyka, Samantha, Alesha and Jon Vanderhyde of Tracy, Iowa, Casandra, Jon Jr., Grace.

Don leaves his sister-in-law, Linda (Robert) DeWit of Eddyville, Iowa; along with the following sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Ellen (Groenendyk) and Eddie Parmer of Van Wert, Iowa, Leroy Groenendyk of Tracy, Iowa and Patricia (Groenendyk) Van Toorn of Knoxville, Iowa; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents: George and Effie DeWit; his parents-in-law: Willem H. "Dutch" and Thelma H. (McGee) Groenendyk; his two brothers: Georg DeWit and Robert DeWit; and a brother-in-law, Charles B. Van Toorn.

Funeral services will be held Monday, November 21, 2011, at 10:30 am at the Chruch of the Open Bible, Pella, Iowa. Interment will follow in the Sandridge Cemetery at Tracy, Iowa. Visitation will begin Sunday at the Van Dyk-Duven Funeral Home in Pella where the family will be present Sunday from 4-6 pm. For those desiring, memorials may be given for the Bethel Christian Church. ~ Find A Grave.