Jongerius, Donald Gerrit 1933-2021

JONGERIUS, WASSENAAR, DEWIT

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:36

Mr. Donald Jongerius, age 87, of Orange City, passed away on Sunday, January 31, 2021, at the Orange City Area Health System.

There will be a private family funeral service on Friday, February 5, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City. The Rev. Mark Vande Zande will officiate. Interment will follow the service at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. Visitation without the family present will be on Thursday, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, at the funeral home.

Donald Gerrit was born to Albert and Christine (Wassenaar) Jongerius on September 17, 1933, in Rock County, Minnesota. He grew up in rural Rock Rapids and graduated from the Lester High School.

He was united in marriage to Lenore Elaine De Wit on October 1, 1953. Together they made their home in Inwood until the summer of 1955 when Don was drafted into the United States Army. After serving over seas for two years, he returned to Iowa where he started working for National Foods, managing grocery stores in several communities in and around northwest Iowa, before moving to Orange City in 1972. He briefly worked as the Alton Country Club Manager, and did construction work, before accepting a position at Glen’s Sport Center and later at Maintainer Corporation of Iowa, both in Sheldon. He retired in the late 1990’s, and he and Lee had just recently become residents of the Pioneer Memorial Home in Orange City.

Mr. Jongerius was currently a member of the First Christian Reformed Church in Orange City. In earlier years, he and Lee were active foster parents and together enjoyed going camping and fishing as well as working in their large garden. Don also liked to spend time on the golf course, do wood working projects, and go for motorcycle rides.

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of more than 67 years, Lenore, of Orange City; two daughters, Waverly Jongerius, of Hull; and Julie, and her husband, Tom Koopman, of Orange City; a son and his wife, Craig and Nikki Jongerius, of Sheldon; nine grandchildren, Adri, and her husband, Keith Huls, of Urbandale; Heather, and her husband, Jason Dreckman, of Le Mars; Andrew Henrich, and his wife, Leah, of Rochester, Minnesota; Jack Jongerius, Caleb Lambertus, Averie Lambertus, Christian Jongerius, Brylee Lambertus, and Maxwell Jongerius, all of Sheldon; twelve great-grandchildren; a sister, Alice Feikema, of Rock Rapids; two brothers and their wives, Lloyd and Sharon Jongerius, of Coloma, Wisconsin, and Glen and Shirley Jongerius, of Sheldon; along with several nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother-in-law, William Feikema.

Memorials may be directed to Hope Haven in Rock Valley.

Source: Oolman Funeral Home online obituary.