De Jong, Lois Kathleen (Mrs. Paul) 1935-2020

DEJONG, VANDERZWAAG

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

Mrs. Lois De Jong, age 85, of Orange City, passed away on Sunday, December 20, 2020, at the Good Samaritan Society in Le Mars.

There will be a memorial service on Friday, April 9, 2021, at 2:00pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City. The Rev. Fred Gums will officiate. Interment will follow the service at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. Visitation with the family will be on Friday, from 1:00pm to 2:00pm, at the funeral home.

Lois Kathleen was born on April 9, 1935, in Middleburg, the daughter of Jacob P. and Arta Vander Zwaag.

Lois graduated from the Newkirk High School and worked for the local newspaper. She met her husband, Paul, at a basketball game, and they were married on November 13, 1959. She embraced the life of a homemaker and mother.

She was active in her community, whether it be in church, local bowling leagues, or as a founding member of the aptly named ‘Lois Club’. Lois showed her compassion and empathy through baking and was famous for sending her husband to drop off loaves of her coveted banana bread to those celebrating, grieving, or in need of encouragement.

Lois was also an avid sports fan and die-hard supporter of Northwestern College basketball. To encourage her team, Lois would supply them with crème filled cupcakes if they scored over 100 points. Should they score less, they would only get plain cupcakes and her encouragement to work a bit harder next time.

Her joy in life was in giving of what she had, sharing time and making memories with those she loved, while spreading the love Christ bestowed upon her. Being deprived of this closeness in the last several months of lockdown was devasting to Lois, so it was with relief and peace that she left this world to join her Savior, and the husband and son she had very recently lost.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Paul DeJong; her two sons, Ricky and Robert DeJong; and her brother, Kenneth Vander Zwaag. She is survived by her children and their spouses, Randall and Kathy DeJong, and their children, Ross, Mark, Kaiti, David, and Joshua; Lynette DeJong, and her children, Sara, Grant, and Garret; Douglas and Megan DeJong, and their children, Darynne, Jeffrey, and Abby; and Leisha and Paul Fischer, and their children, Jacob, Jordan, Seth, and Bethany; her great-grandchildren, Emma, Donovon, Claire, Ezra, Greta, Olivia, Madeleine, Delilah, Clarkee, and MacKenzie; her sister, Jacki Punt; her brother, Peter Leo Vander Zwaag; and numerous cousins, nephews, nieces, and friends.

Memorials may be directed to Bibles for Missions in Orange City.

Source: Oolman Funeral Home online obituary.