Rozeboom, Bernard R. 1896-1989

ROZEBOOM, VANDERGYP, DYKSTRA

Posted By: Paul Van Dyke-Volunteer
Date: 7/3/2014 at 20:00:55

Source: Sioux County Capital, Orange City

Born: December 23, 1896
Died: December 27,1989

Bernard Ryer Rozeboom, age 93, of Rock Rapids died Dec. 27 at the Lyon Manor Care Center in Rock Rapids. Services were held on Dec. 29 at the Roste Funeral Home in Rock Rapids. Rev. Fritz Zimbelman officiated. Interment was in Westlawn Cemetery, Orange City. Graveside military honors were performed by Pressman-Kosters Post. No. 329 American Legion.

Bernard was born on Dec. 23, 1896 in Orange City, the son of William and Antoinette (van der Gyp) Rozeboom. He was educated at Lafayette school (now Maurice- Orange City) and Northwestern Classical Academy in Orange City. After his period of Army service during World War I, he graduated from Tri-State College, Angola, Ind., with a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering.

On Jan. 3, 1923 he was united in marriage to Ruth Dykstra at Fort Wayne, Ind. Following their marriage they lived in North Carolina and Iowa, having spent most of their married life at Ames. In 1983 they moved to Rock Rapids and in May of this year they became residents of the Lyon Manor Care Center.

During his life, Bernard specialized in the design of highway bridges in the state of North Carolina and Iowa. While in Iowa he worked for the Iowa Highway Commission for over 36 years. Several of his bridges received awards of merit for outstanding and unique design concepts. He was a co-developer of the composite design concept for continuous-span concrete and steel bridges. At the time of his retirement from the Iowa Highway Commission in 1967 he was head of the bridge design department.

Bernard was a charter member of the American Legion in Orange City and maintained his membership for 72 years. He was an enthusiastic member of the Elks Men's Chorus and was honored for his service to the Ames Golf and Country Club, the Collegiate Presbyterian Church and the Road Builders of Iowa, as well as by Gov. Norman Efbe for his service to the state of Iowa. He was known to his family and friends as a kind and gentle man with numerous talents. He had a life-long interest in music, golf and baseball. Bernard was also noted for his wry sense of humor and storytelling skills.

Surviving are his wife Ruth and daughter Ann, Mrs. Robert Reckert, both of Rock Rapids; a son, Dr. Robert R. Dykstra of Worcester, Mass.; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; one brother, Lloyd of Baltimore and three sisters, Annette Van Oort, Helen Rozeboom and Catherine Vander Berg all of Orange City.

Preceding him in death were his parents, two sisters and three brothers.