Smit, Delmar L. 1933-2007

SMIT, BOWDEN

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 3/19/2012 at 08:14:16

Delmar L. Smit
Delmar L. Smit, 73, of Sioux Center, formerly of Ireton, died on Monday, Aug. 20, 2007 at Royale Meadows Care Center in Sioux Center. Services were held on Thursday morning, Aug. 22,
at First Reformed Church in Ireton, with Rev. Doug Van Aartsen officiating. Burial was in Pleasant Hill Cemetery at Ireton, with military rites conducted by the American Legion
Bertram Post 276 of Ireton.
Arrangements were under the direction of Porter funeral Home in Ireton. Delmar Lee Smit was
born Nov. 8,1933, to August and Gertie (Vis) Smit in rural Hull. He attended country school in the Hull area. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1954 and was stationed in Japan for 18 months.
When he returned home, he married his wife of 51 years Ardel Bowden on June 29, 1956.
He had many jobs in his lifetime. He drove truck for his brother, Arnold Smitv and was a grease monkey at Punt-Cambiers in Orange City. They moved to Ontario/Chino, Calif., in 1958.
During the 10 years in California, he worked on his uncle's dairy for a year and was a carpenter for the next nine years. In 1967, he moved his family back to Ireton, where he bought Herweyen's
Grocery Store. He owned Del's Clover Farm for 21 years. He drove school bus for West Sioux District for five years. He bought the Ireton Hardware Store in 1978. His son, Bruce, ran the hardware store for five years. In 1978, he was hired to manage the Southern Sioux Rural Water Association. He retired from SSRW after an ankle replacement from an injury he had while going to an anhydrous ammonia leak as a member of the Ireton Fire Department. He was a leader in the Ireton community. He helped organize the Ireton Pee-Wee tournament, which is still going today. He was a member of the Ireton Fire Department for 23 years and retired at the age of 60
as an honorary member. He also helped organize the first rescue unit in Ireton. He was a member and president of the Ireton Boosters Club, chairman of the Ireton Centennial committee, known as Judge Ding, along with his best friend, Ed Van Donge, a.k.a. Judge Dong. He was involved in his church as a deacon, elder and youth sponsor. He was diagnosed with cancer and had his kidney removed on May 1, 1982. He loved life-and his family. He loved walleye fishing in Pickstown, S.D., with his friends, sons and grandsons. He loved the Twins and any football
game. He especially loved to watch and attended most of his grandsons' high school and college football games. At one time, he had five of the seven grandsons playing in the West Sioux and Sioux Center game. He had two granddaughters who were the apples of his eye. He passed away after a long re-occurrence with cancer. He was a miracle of God. He was involved in several
cancer studies, endured many surgeries, radiation treatments and numerous tests. His belief in our living God and his ability to set goals for himself added many days to his life, and he celebrated on many occasions. He reached his final goal when he was able to go on vacation with his wife, his sons and their wives, and all his grandchildren, the third week of July.
He is survived by his wife Ardel (Bowden); son and his wife Douglas and Janet of Ireton and their three children, Brian and his wife Abby, Ian and Aaron; son and his wife Bruce and Tina
of Ireton and their children Brandon and Brandi; and son and his wife Kenneth and Kim of Sioux Center and their children Brad and his wife Paige, Mike, Greg and Amy; and his brothers, sisters and their spouses, Phyllis and Marvin Wissink of Sioux Center, Luella and Bud Krommendyk of
Hull, Howard and Arlene Smit of Hull, Judy and Jim . Kersbergen of Aurora, Ill., Allen and Rose Smit of Sioux Falls, S.D., and Harold and Mary Van Otterloo of Rock Valley.
He was preceded in death by his parents August and Gertie Smit, sister Darlene Van Otterloo and brother Arnold Smit.
Source: Memorial Funeral Home, Sioux Center, IA., obit.