DeJager, B. Duane 1934-2001

DEJAGER, SCHULLER, VONK

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 6/10/2013 at 17:37:01

B. Duane De Jager.
Bernard Duane De Jager, 66, of Maurice, died Sunday, January 21, 2001, at a Sioux City hospital. Services were held at 10:30 a.m. at Maurice First Reformed Church, with the Rev. Wayne Sneller officiating. Burial was in Sherman Township Cemetery under the direction of the Memorial Funeral Home in Sioux Center, Iowa.

Mr. De Jager was born June 17, 1934, near Maurice, the son of Rhodus and Henrietta (Schuller) De Jager. He graduated from Center Township Country School in 1948, and from Maurice High School, where he played baseball, basketball and sang in a quartet and choir. He was then employed with Slagle Lumber Co. in Alton, Iowa, for more than four years.

He married Goldie Vonk on June 15, 1956: He served in the U.S. Army at Fort Chafie, Ark. He graduated from aircraft maintenance school as an instructor, teaching aerodynamic and general maintenance on helicopters. He received his discharge in 1958. He farmed near Rock Valley, Iowa, and was employed as a welder with Kooiker Manufacturing Co. in Hull, Iowa. In 1968, the couple moved to Maurice, where he was employed as a night assistant to the engineer with Dubuque Pack in Le Mars, Iowa, for 11 years. He opened Green Acres Repair and Manufacturing in 1970, and operated a hardware store. He was a member of Maurice First Reformed Church and served on the city council. He belonged to Society of Manufacturer Engineers, Iowa Blacksmiths. He was a certified welder and had a Class A Engineer title. He was also active in community affairs. He was named in Who’s Who Worldwide in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1995 as a selftaught
professional engineer. He enjoyed singing.

Survivors include his wife; five daughters,
Rhonda of Maurice, Regina and her husband, Dennis Van Roekel of Maurice, Roxanne and her husband, Jason Mars of Orange City, Rachelle and her husband, Evan Kraayenbrink of Sioux Center, and Renietta and her husband, Charles W. Obrecht of Harlan, Iowa; his mother of Orange City; and four sisters and their husbands, Joyce and Edward Kroeze of Orange City, Elaine and Dave Roetman of Vermillion, SD, Marlene and Ronald De Jager of Maurice, and Carol and John De Roon of Hawarden, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his father.

Siouxland Press, Wednesday, January 31, 2001 Orange City, Iowa.