Jonker, Arthur H. 1928-2010

JONKER, DEBEER, ROWENHORST

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/22/2010 at 05:33:57

Arthur H. Jonker
June 10, 1928 - July 20, 2010
Mr. Arthur Jonker, age 82, of Orange City, passed away on Tuesday, July 20, 2010, at the Orange City Area Health System Hospital.

There will be a memorial service on Friday, July 23, at 1:30pm, at the First Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. Stanley Vandersall will officiate. Interment will be prior to the service at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. There will be a prayer service on Friday, at 12:30pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

Visitation will be after 4:00pm on Thursday, with the family present from 5:30pm to 7:00pm, at the funeral home.

Arthur Henry was born on June 10, 1928, in rural Sanborn, the son of Henry A. and Bertha (De Beer) Jonker. He was raised at Orange City, where he graduated from the public high school. He later attended the Iowa State Patrol School.

On March 15, 1947, he married Carolyn Rowenhorst. They made their home in Mason City and Osage until 1964, when they returned to Orange City. He was an Iowa State Trooper for 35 years. He was also one of the founders of the ABCD Christmas Tree Farm in Orange City.

Art was a member of the First Reformed Church. He enjoyed fishing and woodworking, especially with walnut.

Survivors include his wife of more than 63 years; two daughters and their husbands, Jane and Larry Ver Steeg, of Kalona; and Rebecca and Lowell Groen, of Lewiston, Idaho; four grandchildren, Angie, and her husband, Matt Dwyer, of Cedar Rapids; Greg Groen, and his wife, Alicia, of Geita, Tanzania, East Africa; Lorry Ver Steeg, of Ames; and Gretchen, and her husband, Eric Nordling, of Bothell, Washington; three great-grandchildren, Katelyn, Sadie, and Hailey Groen; two sisters and two brothers, Elaine, and her husband, Bernard Hietbrink, of Bella Vista, Arkansas; Wilfred Jonker, and his wife, Gertrude, of Rock Valley; Faye Pluim, of Sioux Center; and Terrence Jonker, and his wife, Jan, of Harrisburg, North Carolina; and a step-sister, Della Jelgerhuis, of Orange City.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his step-father, Andrew Docter; a brother-in-law, Kenneth Pluim; and a step-brother-in-law, Alvin Jelgerhuis.