Van Pelt, Raymond 1918-2015

VAN PELT, VAN CITTERS, VER HOEF

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 2/23/2015 at 10:29:49

Mr. Raymond Van Pelt, age 97, of Orange City, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, January 27, 2015, at the Prairie Ridge Care Center in Orange City.

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, January 31, at 11:00am, at the American Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. Michael Hardeman and the Rev. Elizabeth Hardeman will officiate. Interment will be prior to the service at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. There will be a family prayer service on Saturday, at 10:00am, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

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

Ray was born on January 8, 1918, in Orange City, the son of Andrew and Margurite (Van Citters) Van Pelt. He was raised at Orange City, where he graduated from high school. He also attended the Nettleton Business College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for two years. He then served in the United States Military for 3 ½ years during World War II, stationed in the Aleutian Islands of the North Pacific Theater.

On April 25, 1944, he married Myrna Eunice Ver Hoef in Sioux City. They made their home in Orange City, where he was a salesman for Moorman Manufacturing. They also spent seventeen retirement years in Fairfield Bay, Arkansas. Later, they returned to Orange City, living in the Landsmeer Ridge Retirement Community and more recently, Prairie Ridge.

Ray was a member of the American Reformed Church, and the Lions Club and Volunteer Fire Department, both in Orange City. He enjoyed golfing, fishing, and watching high school and college football and basketball games. His pride and joy were his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife of more than seventy years; five children and their spouses, Ronald and Kathy Van Pelt, of Spencer; Rosemary and Alvin Wissink, of Waconia, Minnesota; Andrew “Bill” Van Pelt and Melinda, of Sioux Falls; Scott and Janet Van Pelt, of Windsor Heights; and Virginia and Gary Vaden, of Johnston; a daughter-in-law, Frankey De Raad; fourteen grandchildren, Shelly (Mike) Vonk, Kristi (Tim) Pies, Michael (Shannon) De Raad, Chris (Snez) Van Pelt, Audrey Kalsow, Victor Van Pelt, Amy (Joel) Swanson, Nathan (Stephanie) Wissink, Robin (Ernest) Parker, Heather (Mike) Moran, Josh (Lindsey) Huffman, Megan Miller, Paige Vaden, and Ryan Vaden; and eighteen great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Robert Van Pelt, and two brothers, Clifford (Loeva) Van Pelt and Stanley (Ruth) Van Pelt.

Memorials will be directed to Every Home for Christ Crusade.

Source: Oolman Funeral Home online obituary.