Ver Hoef, Arnold G. "Arnie" 1933-2014

VERHOEF, TEGROTENHUIS, SANDBULTE

Posted By: Mary Lou Verburg Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/29/2015 at 20:02:05

Born: July 9, 1933 Rural Orange City, Iowa
Died: March 14, 2014 Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Arnold Glen Ver Hoef, 80, of Sioux Center died Fri. March 14, 2014 at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.

A celebration of life service was 11 a.m. Tues. at First Reformed Church of Sioux Center with the Rev. Van Rathbun and Rev. David Bast officiating. Interment was in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center.

Ver Hoef was born in rural Orange City on July 9, 1933 to Bernard and Alvina (Alice Te Grotenhuis) Ver Hoef. He was raised in Sioux Center, where his father Bernie was the proprietor of Ver Hoef Chevrolet. He attended public school and graduated in 1951. He then went to Central College in Pella, majoring in business and graduated in May 1955. He played on the basketball and tennis teams at Central. During college summemr breaks he had a job as lifeguard and swimming instructor at Sandy Hollow near Sioux Center. Throughout his life he was a sport enthusiast, attending all games of his children and grandchildren. He was the largest supporter of any endeavor involving his children or grandchildren.

On June 16, 1956, Specialist 3 Arnold Glen Ver Hoef and Ardene Ellen Sandbulte were married twice in Zwiebrucken, Germany. The first wedding took place that morning in the Rathaus (courthouse) in Midtown Zwiebrucken; the second wedding happened at 1:30 p.m. in the chapel at the Army post on the hills outside of town, with all of Arnie's company attending. Arnie entered the Army in June 1955 and was discharged in May 1957. After returning from Germany, the couple purchased a house in Sioux Center. He started delivering milk door to door in the early mornings, as he did during high school. He also went to work for his father; at first cleaning cars and later became a salesman for Ver Hoef Chevrolet. In 1962, he began to buy into the business with his brother Bruce and sold the buiness to his son-in-law, Kembe Hulstein, after retiring at the end of 2010. For over 50 years he loved selling cars and was dedicated to his customers and employees.

He was a member of Central Reformed Church in Sioux Center and continually active there. He was passionate about outreach and charities for the Christian faith and was especially active after his retirement. He served on the board of directors for King's Engineering, New Life Treatment Center, Huntington's Disease Foundation of American (South Dakota Chapter) Hope Haven Foundation, the Northwest Iowa RCA Cursillo Secretariat, director of Words of Hope, Atlas of Sioux Center, including the Car Ministry, and board of directors for Vi Bella.

Survivors are his wife Ardene of Sioux Center; three children, son Jay and (Mary Schoder) Ver Hoef from Fairbanks, Alaska, daughter Anne and Mike Schoder from Anchorage, Alaska, and daughter Kathy and Kembe Hulstein of Sioux Center; seven grandchildren; a great-grandchild; a sister, Mary and Hoyt Acuff of Ames; brother, Bruce and Marty Ver Hoef of Sioux Center and nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers the Ver Hoef family prefers memorials be directed to Atlas of Sioux Center and ViBella Jewelry.

Source: Sioux Center News 3/19/2014