Jake Van Heeswyk

VAN HEESWYK, KARK, GROESBECK, CARLSON, LUMPKIN, RENFROW

Posted By: Ruth McDowell (email)
Date: 11/28/2010 at 14:50:09

Powers Funeral Home Webpage
Jake Van Heeswyk

Jake Van Heeswyk, 83, of Afton, died Monday, October 5, 2009 at the Greater Regional Hospice Home in Creston.

Services will be 10:30 AM Friday, October 9, 2009, at the United Methodist Church in Afton.

Pastor Jerry Hoff and Pastor Jim Morris will officiate.

Burial will be at Greenlawn Cemetery in Afton.

Open visitation will be 2-8 p.m. Thursday, October 8, 2009, at Powers Funeral Home in Afton, with family receiving friends from 6-8 p.m. Thursday.

Memorials are to the Greater Regional Hospice Home in Creston and the Afton United Methodist Church. Online condolences may be made under the obituary category at www.powersfh.com.

Jakobus (Jake) Harvey Van Heeswyk was born November 12, 1925, in Ringgold County, Iowa to Joseph J. Van Heeswyk and Katie (Kark) Van Heeswyk. He graduated from Thayer High School and then worked for Vern Needham.

On June 28, 1947, Jake was united in marriage to his sweetheart Mary Elizabeth Groesbeck in their living room where they resided for 62 years in Afton, Iowa. He did mechanic work for the Nissen Brothers and body work for Hartsook. He then drove a tank wagon for Farm Service, went on to work in partnership at E & J Service as a mechanic. For fourteen years he ran his own business, Jake’s Service until going to work as the school bus mechanic for the East Union School District, retiring in December of 1989.

Following retirement he and Mary enjoyed traveling, camping and fishing. Jake had served on the Afton City Council served as an Afton Volunteer Fireman and assisted with East Union school football games. He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Afton.

Jake is survived by his wife, Mary of Afton; two sons: Harvey (wife Linda) Van Heeswyk of Afton and Leslie (wife Debra) Van Heeswyk of Osceola; one sister: Genevieve Carlson of Wilton, Iowa; four grandchildren: Rob (wife Robin) Van Heeswyk; Regina (husband Brent) Lumpkin; Ryan (wife Sarah) Van Heeswyk; Tracie (husband Stephen) Renfrow and fourteen great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two grandsons, Eric Van Heewsyk in 1977, Harvey Van Heeswyk, Jr in 1996 and a brother-in-law: Carl Carlson Sr. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.