De Ruyter, John Gilbert 1938-2019

DE RUYTER, HOEKSTRA, VAN VOORST

Posted By: Mary Lou Verburg (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:36

John Gilbert DeRuyter, son of Dick and Cora (Hoekstra) De Ruyter, was born Dec. 24 1938 in Le Mars, Iowa. He grew up in Sioux City, Ia, and Sunnyside, Washington, later moving back to Iowa where he graduated from Rock Valley High School in 1956.
John met Elaine Van Voorst on a blind date in 1960. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1961 and on a two week leave, he came back to marry her on Jan. 10, 1962. John and his new bride moved to Germany, where he served as a Specialist 4 through 1963. They returned to the states and raised their family in Spencer, IA. They lived there for thirty-four years. During their years there, John worked for Van Voorst Transfer and All American Freight. After retiring from the trucking industry, John and Elaine moved to the Lakes Area.

John and Elaine were faithful members of Hope Reformed Church in Spencer and Good News Community Church in Okoboji. John was also a member of the Milford American Legion. He enjoyed walking around the lakes area with Elaine and their little Chihuahua, Bella, and loved spending time with his grandchildren at the amusement park riding rides, playing mini golf and eating ice cream. He liked listening to music, cracking jokes in the kitchen and often started his day meeting his friends for coffee at Cenex and Buy Rite, followed by a walk to the library to read the newspaper.

John passed away Dec. 1, 2019 at the Community Memorial Health Center at the age of eighty.

John is survived by his wife of nearly fifty-eight years, Elaine; daughter, Deb (Nick) Thilges of Owasso, OK. and their children, Nicole and (Andy) Riggs and Jordan (Brett) Arnold; son Brian (Beth) De Ruyter of Sioux Falls, S.D. and their children, Abby De Ruyter and Drew De Ruyter; son, Scott (Sheila) De Ruyter of Arnolds Park, IA. and their children, Zach De Ruyter, Dustin De Ruyter, Noah De Ruyter, Ella De Ruyter, Eva De Ruyter and Olivia De Ruyter; daughter, Lisa (Chris McNab) Arrowood, of Okoboji IA. and children, Kaycee (Jordan) Christensen, Rylie Arrowood, Mason Arrowood, Avery Arrowood,and Finley McNab; great grandchildren, Caleb and Connor Riggs and Parker and Cohen Arnold; brothers, Ed (Rose) De Ruyter of Rock Valley and Rich (Beckie) De Ruyter of Verona, Missouri; sisters, Mary (Joe) Bryant of Rock Valley, IA. and Marcy (Greg) Chapman-Ahrens of Jackson, MN.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Dick and Cora De Ruyter and sister, Hilda Jensen.

Source: Obit card of Turner Jenness Funeral Home of Milford, IA.