Ravestein, Peter, 1928-2013

RAVESTEIN, DEGOEI, BRUXVOORT

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg (email)
Date: 6/12/2013 at 10:18:37

Biography

Mr. Peter Ravestein, age 84, of Sheldon, formerly of Middleburg, passed away on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, at Fieldcrest Assisted Living in Sheldon.

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, May 25, at 10:00am, at the Free Grace Reformed Church in Middleburg. The Rev. Stephen Breen will officiate. Interment will be prior to the service at the Capel Township Cemetery near Middleburg. There will be a prayer service on Saturday, at 9:00am, at the church.

Visitation will be after 5:00pm on Friday, with the family present from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

Peter Gilbert was born on December 3, 1928, at Orange City, the son of Peter and Marie (De Goei) Ravestein, Jr. He was raised on a farm near Orange City, where he attended a country school and graduated from the Newkirk High School. During the Korean Conflict, he served in the United States Army for two years, stationed in Alaska.

On October 7, 1955, he married Muriel Jean Bruxvoort in Orange City. They made their home on farms by Orange City and Middleburg, where he was a dairy farmer, operated Ravestein Welding, and raised many thousand rabbits. In 1994, they retired to Bella Vista, Arkansas, and in November of 2012, they moved to Fieldcrest.

Pete was a member of the Free Grace Reformed Church for many years. While living in Arkansas, he belonged to the Evangelical Free Church of Bella Vista, where he participated in the Men’s Fellowship breakfast.

He enjoyed listening to “talking books”, making things with metal, such as a swing carousel, playing dominoes, tinkering (He was always fixing something.), visiting with family and friends, and woodworking,

Survivors include his wife of more than 57 years; two daughters and their husbands, Karen and Randy Altena, of Sunnyside, Washington; and Barb and Ken Gerling, of Orange City; a son and his wife, Peter and Colleen Ravestein, of Pella; twelve grandchildren, Keith Altena, Melissa Welshenbaugh, Eric Altena, Loren Altena, Travis Grevengoed, Trisha Grevengoed, Gina Ruiz, Sonya Bittner, Christa Ravestein, Leah Vestal, Joshua Ravestein, and Diana Ravestein; twelve great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Catherine De Groot, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Betty Engeljes, of Orange City.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Marilou Ravestein.

Memorials will be directed to Camp Middleburg Free Grace (vacation BiBible school) and the Senior Companion Program in Rock Valley.

Family Visitation
Friday May 24, 2013, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Oolman Funeral Home - Orange City