De Young, Joseph 1926-2015

DE YOUNG, KEWLEY, SORGDRAGER

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/29/2015 at 12:34:48

Joseph De Young

Joseph De Young, 88, of Craig, Iowa passed away at his home on Wednesday, January 21, 2015. Funeral services will take place at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 24, 2015 at the Mauer – Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars, Iowa. Rev. John Battern of the United Methodist of Le Mars will officiate. Burial will follow at Memorial Cemetery in Le Mars. Military honors will be conducted by Wasmer Post #241 of the American Legion. Visitation will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 23, 2015 at the Mauer – Johnson Funeral Home. The family will be present from 5-7 p.m. with a prayer service at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will resume at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday at the funeral home.

Joe was born on March 25, 1926 in Le Mars, Iowa, the son of Henry and Pearl (Kewley) De Young. He attended school in Le Mars and graduated from Le Mars High School. In 1943, at the age of 17, Joe enlisted in the US Army. He was deployed to Germany. He received his honorable discharge in 1945.

Upon returning from Germany, he and Charlotte Sorgdrager were united in marriage on November 6, 1945 at the Methodist Church in Le Mars. In 1957, Joe and Charlotte, along with their eight children, traveled by train to Downey, California where he worked for the Long Beach School District for thirteen years as the foreman. He also worked at the Benson Cabinet Shop, painting and refinishing cabinets. Joe owned Joe’s Broasted Supreme in Long Beach, California from 1965-1973. In late 1973, Joe and Charlotte moved back to Craig, Iowa. It was in Craig that he opened the North Forty and was in business there until 1981. In 1983, Joe built The Golden Collar in Hospers, Iowa and he and Charlotte ran the business until they retired in 1986.

Joe enjoyed fishing, gardening, feeding the birds, reading Western books, cooking and baking. He also enjoyed being the mayor of Craig for a couple of years. A self-taught man, he was very talented and could build, remodel, fix, paint and refinish anything.

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 69 years, Charlotte De Young of Le Mars and his children Sandra (Steve) Phelps of Sioux City, IA; Richard (Donna) De Young of Craig, IA; Janet (Jay) Vlotho of Ireton, IA; Nancy (George) Smithson of Le Mars, IA; Myron (Heidi) De Young of Mesa, AZ; daughters-in-law Pam De Young of Spirit Lake, IA; Lori De Young of Craig, IA and Chris De Young of Sioux Falls, SD; 25 grandchildren, 48 great- grandchildren, 8 great-great grandchildren as well as many nieces and nephews.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents; sons, Joe, Milo and Vernon; and brothers, Henry “Cy”, LeRoy “Bud,” Donald, Vernon “Corky” and Roger.

Source: Mauer-Johnson-Earnest Funeral Home online obituary.