Donald E. ABBAS

ABBAS, FOLKERTS, RUKA, CARLSON, FREERKSEN, MOUW, GOEMAAT, MEHL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/14/2008 at 13:23:30

December 13, 2005
Mason City Globe Gazette, IA

KANAWHA - Donald E. Abbas, 80, of Kanawha passed away Saturday (Dec. 10, 2005) at Wright Medical Center in Clarion. Funeral services for Donald Abbas will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Kanawha Christian Reformed Church, with Pastor Steve Schulz officiating. Burial will be in Amsterdam Township Cemetery near Kanawha. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Ewing Dugger Funeral Home in Kanawha and one hour prior to services on Wednesday at the church.

Donald, the son of Fred and Grace Folkerts Abbas, was born on Aug. 15, 1925, in rural Kanawha. He was raised in the Kanawha area where he attended country school and graduated from Kanawha High School in 1943. Following graduation, Donald helped his father farm the family farm. Donald was united in marriage with Eleanor Ruka on April 10, 1948, in Goodell. The couple made their home in the Kanawha, Britt and Corwith area. Following their retirement they moved from the Corwith farm into Kanawha. Eleanor passed away on June 4, 1998. Donald loved his family and friends very much. He especially enjoyed spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He also enjoyed bowling, listening to male gospel quartets and traveling when given the opportunity. He served as a role model to his family and was a true inspiration. In 1999, Donald married Leona Carlson Freerksen in Jenison, Mich. The couple made their home in Kanawha until the time of Leona's death on May 22, 2005. Donald was an active member of the Kanawha Christian Reformed Church. He served on the church council as deacon and elder and was a member of the Men's Society.

Donald is survived by his daughter, Lois Ann Mouw and her husband, Glen, of Sioux Center; his son, Darl and his wife, Paula of Kanawha; two step children, Arlene Goemaat and her husband, Larry, of Lakewood, Calif. and Richard Freerksen and his wife, Ruth, of Grand Rapids; five grandchildren; eight step-grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; 14 step-great-grandchildren; his sister, Audrey Mehl and her husband, Norman, of Britt; his brother, Dennis Abbas and his wife, Jean, of Marshalltown; and numerous other family members and friends.He was preceded in death by his parents; stepmother, Maude; first wife, Eleanor in 1998; second wife, Leona, in 2005; and brother, Jerry.