VanTilburg, Emery 1932-2007

VANTILBURG, SMIT, KORTHALS

Posted By: Paul Van Dyke-Volunteer
Date: 2/5/2015 at 20:52:01

Source: North West Iowa Review (9-2007)

Born: March 16, 1932
Died: September 1, 2007

Emery Van Tilburg, 75, George, died Saturday 1, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Services were Tuesday, September 4, at Tabernacle Baptist Church in George, with the Reverend Anderson officiating. Burial was at Evergreen Lawn Cemetery in George, under the direction of Roste Funeral Home in George.

Emery Van Tilburg, son of Cornelius and Antoinette (Smit) Van Tilburg, was born March 16, 1932, in Carmel. He was raised in Carmel and later Rock Rapids and attended Lakewood Country School.

He married Edith Marie Korthals on December 23, 1953, on the Korthals’ family farm near George. He was drafted into the U.S. Army artillery in February 1953 and stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for 18 months.

After his honorable discharge in March 1955, he returned to George, where he farmed west of town for 10 years. He later farmed at Edna for 16 years. They moved to Rock Rapids in 1982 for three years and then moved back to George, where they lived since. He was not just a farmer, he was a feed, seed and fertilizer dealer and a bus driver for George school.

He was a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church in George and attended the Wednesday afternoon Seniors Bible Study. He also was a member of the Jack Sauter American Legion Post 404.

He enjoyed fishing and flower gardening. He was a toy collector and an avid Minnesota Twins baseball fan.

Survivors include his wife, Edith Van Tilburg of George; five children, Arlys and Larry De Beer of Ellsworth, Minnesota, Carla and Randy Deutsch of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Brenda and Curt Gisolf of Rock Rapids, Delinda and Warren Jansma of Ellsworth, Minnesota, and Curtis and Rochelle Van Tilburg of Sibley; 13 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; four siblings, Floris and Delores Van Tilburg of Rock Valley, Thomas and Marge Van Tilburg of Rock Valley, and Judina Vanden Berg of Corsica, South Dakota.

He was preceded in death by a brother-in-law, John Vanden Berg.