DeWit, John 1933-2024

DEWIT, ROOZENBOOM, VANDENBOSCH

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - Volunteer (email)
Date: 8/11/2024 at 15:36:06

De Wit, John's Obituary Doon Press of April 18, 2024

John DeWitt, 90, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls. Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 13, 2024, at Abiding Savior Free Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls.  Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Friday, April 12, 2024, at George Boom Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory in Sioux Falls.  Memorials may be directed to Abiding Savior Academy or Sioux Falls Christian Schools.

John Henry DeWitt, age 90, went to his eternal home on April 9, 2024. He was born October 10, 1933, in Osceola County, Iowa to Henry and Frances (Vanden Bosch) DeWit. He spent most of his childhood in Rock Valley, Iowa. On August 21, 1953, he married Greta Roozenboom in Luverne, Minnesota. They spent all 70 years of marriage in the Sioux Falls area. Their first years were spent in a two-story home on Minnesota Avenue before they moved to an acreage outside of Sioux Falls to raise their 10 children. Since seven of the children were energetic boys, they made a commitment to raise their family where there was room to roam.

He lived his life in faithful commitment to his family and his wife and worked long hours providing for his family's needs. He also felt that Christian education was vital for his children and sacrificed to provide it for each of them. He worked at John Morrell for 48 years, and spent his free hours doing concrete work after hours and on Saturdays. Most of his life was spent doing what he could to provide for the ever-growing DeWitt clan, whether that meant maintaining a large garden or raising livestock.
For many years, you could see him stooped over in the hot sun, attending his ever-growing garden. Later in his life, this became his passion and the delight of his children, who shared in that fresh bounty. He also shared the produce with others and made many trips to The Banquet to donate any garden excess.

John also had a knack for being able to fix or repair just about anything that was broken, not only in the mechanical world but just about anything else. This too became a gift to his children. From helping his children with construction to being a mechanic to the whole family, John volunteered his skills to the church and to the Christian schools. He never tired of hard work.

Though he did not often express his emotions in words, you saw his love through his care and faithfulness to his large family. He never complained through the hard times and his commitment to each of us did not waver, for which we are all grateful. Throughout his hard life, including his last difficult days, he maintained a healthy sense of humor.

John attended the Christian Reformed Church most of his life and believed in the death and resurrection of God's Son. He put his hope in the great sacrifice of Christ's death and he now is enjoying all that eternal life offers.

He is survived by his wife, Greta; 10 children, Loretta (John) Groen of Sioux Falls, Jeffrey (Lila) of Luverne, MN, Char (Neal) Moss of Luverne, MN, Curt (Jody) of Sioux Falls, Daryl (Lori) of Vermillion, SD, Randy (Chere) of Brandon, SD, Mike (Karen) of Sioux Falls, Mark (Melissa), of Sioux Falls, Sherwin (Erika) of Brandon, SD, and Christy (Terry) Aukes of Larchwood, IA; 44 grandchildren; 73 great-grandchildren; siblings, Gert Hibma of Washington, Ed DeWit of Inwood, IA, and Arlinda (Simon) Kooiman of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

He is preceded in death by his parents and two grandchildren, J. Allen DeWitt and Aaron DeWitt; siblings, Ruth Halma, Martin DeWit, and Lenore Jongerius.