Harbert D. "Herb" DIEKHUIS, Jr.

DIEKHUIS, SANDERFELD, RICHARDSON, NOREM, JANSEN, WILSON, HENRY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 8/1/2008 at 14:08:56

Clear Lake Mirror Reporter, IA
May 2003

Harbert D. (Herb) Diekhuis Jr., 78, 629 7th Ave N., Clear Lake, died Sunday, May 4, 2003, at Oakwood Care Center, Clear Lake. A funeral service will be held Wednesday, May 7, 2 p.m., at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, with the Rev. Keith Scott, of Wesley United Methodist Church, Mason City, officiating. Visitation will begin at noon preceding the service. Interment will follow at Concord Cemetery, Garner, Iowa. Military honors will be by the V.F.W. Post 5515, Garner. Memorials may be given in his name to the American Cancer Society or Hospice of North Iowa.

Harbert was born Sept. 12, 1924, at home in rural Klemme, Iowa, the son of Harbert D. and Martha (Sanderfeld) Diekhuis Sr. The family moved to the Goodell vicinity where they farmed for approximately eight years. In 1935, the family moved to Garner for about 13 years. He started as a carpenter for two years. Harbert was drafted into the Army during WWII and fought in five major battles. He received several medals including a Purple Heart. Harbert married Jeanette Richardson on July 15, 1956 in Garner. He worked as a farmhand and went to Hamilton Business College in bookkeeping. Harbert worked at the Dairy Queen, as a butcher at a meat locker, at a lumber yard, and also at Johnson Grocery Store in Garner. Following that, he worked at the Creamery; bottling milk, making butter and deliveries. Harbert opened two Herb¹s Standard service stations in Rockwell, Iowa and opened up a station near Mason City East Park. In 1969, they moved to Hobby Acres Chicken Farm in Mason City. He worked at Opportunity Village as a cottage director for years. After retiring, he worked part-time for ABC Lock Service until fully retiring in 2001. He was a member of the Wesley United Methodist Church, Mason City. He enjoyed gardening, growing flowers, watching football, golfing, working as a locksmith and especially spending time with his family.

Harbert is survived by his wife, Jeanette Diekhuis, Clear Lake; four children, Martha Jeanette Norem, Iowa Falls, Iowa, David Diekhuis, Mason City, Dennis Diekhuis and his wife, Vickie, Clear Lake, and Mary Ann Jansen and her husband, Randy, Des Moines, Iowa; six grandchildren, Joanne Wilson and her husband, Jason, Chad Henry, Crystal Henry, Kayla Jansen, Brady Jansen and Jacob Diekhuis; one brother, Marvin Diekhuis and his wife, Phyllis, Garner; and several nieces and nephews. Harbert was preceded in death by his parents; a great-grandson, Eric Wilson; and three brothers, John, Irving and Harry Diekhuis.