Van Gelder, James 1922-2018

VANGELDER, FEENSTRA, RAAK

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:36

Mr. James Van Gelder, age 95, of Orange City, passed away on Saturday, February 24, 2018, at the Grandview Terrace Health and Rehabilitation Center in Sun City West, Arizona.

There will be a memorial service on Tuesday, March 6, at 11:00am, at the First Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. Mark Haverdink 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 Tuesday, at 10:00am, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

Visitation will be after 4:00pm on Monday, with the family present from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, at the funeral home.

**For those unable to attend the service in person, you may participate through the church's live streaming service via their website at: http://www.frcoc.org/sermons/live-stream/.**

James was born on October 29, 1922, in Orange City, the son of Edward and Jennie (Feenstra) Van Gelder. He first lived on a farm by Melvin and then moved to Ritter, where he attended a one room school, graduating from the eighth grade at the age of twelve. At the age of seventeen, he went to work for area farmers to help support his parents and siblings during the Great Depression. In 1941, his family moved to a farm south of Carnes. In December of 1943, he enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces.

On May 18, 1945, he married Hendrina Marcia Raak at the First Reformed Church in Orange City. He continued his military service in Texas, the Philippines, Okinawa, and the occupation of Japan. He worked with the secret service mail and communications, as well as bringing soldiers to and from the railroad station. He was honorably discharged on April 11, 1946.

They then lived around Orange City, where he worked construction on Highway 10 west of town. In the spring of 1947, they moved to a farm north of Alton. In 1951, when his parents retired, they moved to south of Carnes, where he farmed for many years. He raised oats, alfalfa, sorghum, corn, and soybeans. His livestock included chickens, dairy cows, sheep, cattle, and hogs. In April of 1977, they moved into Orange City, but he assisted his son with planting and harvesting. The couple enjoyed wintering in Arizona for several years. Hendrina passed away on March 23, 2012, in Orange City, after more than 66 years of marriage. “Jim” then became a full-time resident of Grandview Terrace in Sun City West, Arizona

He and Hendrina were charter members of the West Valley Christian Fellowship Church in Sun City. In earlier years, he was very active in the Men’s Brotherhood and served as a Sunday school teacher at the First Reformed Church in Orange City. He served on the boards of directors of the Farmer’s Mutual Cooperative in Alton and the Orange City Christian School. He was also a founding member and director of the Floyd Valley Pig Corporation. He belonged to the Pressman-Kosters American Legion Post in Orange City.

Survivors include a son and his wife, Robert and Mary Van Gelder, of Alton; a daughter and her husband, Cheryl and Dale Hiemstra, of Orange City; six grandchildren, Jay (Shantel) Van Gelder, Bryan (Kelly) Van Gelder, Timothy (Andrea) Van Gelder, Eric (Becky) Hiemstra, Kristi Hiemstra, and Brooke (Christopher) Kleven; fourteen great-grandchildren, Shayler Van Gelder, Kamdyn Van Gelder, Brett Van Gelder, Carter Van Gelder, Carson Van Gelder, Brendan Van Gelder, Erin Van Gelder, Jayden Hiemstra, Teygan Hiemstra, Heydan Hiemstra, Ameyah Hiemstra, Kaseyn Hiemstra, James Kleven, and Natalie Kleven; two brothers, Dick Van Gelder, of Creston, and John Van Gelder, and his wife, Thelma, of Orange City; two sisters, Joyce Hulst, of Orange City, and Kathy Van Wyhe, of Ireton; a sister-in-law, Betty Van Gelder, of Le Mars; a brother-in-law, Ben Schiebout, of Orange City.; and special Arizona friends, Ken and Judy Gras and family.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by a son, Larry Van Gelder; a brother, Wilbur Van Gelder; a sister, Irene Schiebout; three brothers-in-law, Gordon Van Wyhe, John Te Brink, and Nick Hulst, and a sister-in-law, Antoinette Van Gelder.

Memorials may be directed to Bethany Christian Services.

Source: Oolman Funeral Home online obituary.