VanEs, Gerald 1923-2013

VANES, TOP, JOHNSON

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 9/1/2013 at 15:04:05

Gerald Van Es

November 6, 1923 - August 27, 2013

Mr. Gerald “Jack” Van Es, age 89, of Orange City, passed away on Tuesday, August 27, 2013, at the Landsmeer Ridge Retirement Community in Orange City.

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, August 31, at 11:00am, at the First Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. Mark Haverdink will officiate. Interment will be prior to the service at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. There will be a prayer service on Saturday, at 10:00am, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

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

Gerald was born on November 6, 1923, in rural Alton, the son of Gerrit and Reka (Top) Van Es. He was raised on a farm near Newkirk, where he attended school. During World War II, he served in the United States Navy, stationed in the Pacific Theatre.

On December 5, 1947, he married Patricia Louise Johnson, in Ireton. They made their home in Newkirk, where they operated the Newkirk Store and in Hawarden, where they owned a drug store. He then attended the Nettleton Business College in Sioux City to become a computer programmer. They settled in Orange City, where he was employed at the Northwestern State Bank. For several years, he was the manager of their Maurice branch. In December of 2006, they became residents of Landsmeer. “Pat” passed away on December 17, 2010, in Remsen, after 63 years of marriage.

Mr. Van Es was currently a member of the First Reformed Church and a former member of the Newkirk Reformed Church. He had served on the consistories of both churches.

He enjoyed audiobooks, golfing, and watching his children and grandchildren participate in their activities. He was a sports fan of the MOC-FloydValley Schools and Northwestern College in Orange City, and the Minnesota Twins and Vikings.

Survivors include his five children and their spouses, Jerry and Kim Van Es and Bob and Rhonda Van Es, all of Sioux Center; Sandi and Fran Grady, of Lafayette, Colorado; Jeff and Jackie Van Es, of Ireton; and Jaci and Todd Van Wechel, of Orange City; fourteen grandchildren and their spouses, Nicolas and Amy Van Es, Joseph and Heather Van Es, James Rylaarsdam, Jenna Rylaarsdam, Erin and Bryan Prins, Robin and Gregg Dohrer, Stephanie and Robert Toscano, Vanessa and Matt Aschmann, Kayla Van Es, Paul Johnson, Crystal and Dave Berger, Amanda Van Wechel, Taylor Van Wechel, and his fiancé, Katie Siege, and Beau Van Wechel; 22 great-grandchildren; a brother-in-law, Charles Houlton, of Hawarden; and several nephews and nieces.

In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by a daughter-in-law, Mary Van Es; two sisters and their husbands, Nelvina and Lawrence Zicafoose and Winifred and Ivan Muilenburg; and a sister-in-law, Helen Houlton.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the First Reformed Church
for their new television channel to broadcast worship services and other events.