Wielenga, Ernest John "Ernie" 1931-2021

WIELENGA, KROEZE, FEDDERS

Posted By: Marjorie Brunsting-Volunteer (email)
Date: 8/10/2021 at 10:19:04

Mr. Ernest Wielenga, age 89, of Sioux Center, formerly of Orange City, passed away on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, at the Good Samaritan Society in George.

There will be a funeral service on Monday, July 26, at 10:30am, at the First Christian Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. Timothy Ouwinga will officiate. Interment will follow the service at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. Visitation with the family will be on Sunday, from 3:00pm to 5:00pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.

Ernest John was born on October 28, 1931, in Orange City, one of four children born to Jacob L. and Grace (Kroeze) Wielenga. He grew up on his family’s farm northwest of Orange City and attended the Orange City Public School. He helped his parents farm until entering the United States Army in April of 1953.

On June 25, 1954, he was united in marriage to Jeanette Marlene Fedders in Orange City. The newlyweds briefly made their home at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, until “Ernie’s” honorable discharge in 1955, when they returned to Orange City. Ernie and Jeanette made their home on the Wielenga Family Farm where they raised their four children and farmed the land as well as tended to various livestock. In 1980, they moved to a home in Orange City, although he was living in town, Ernie continued to farm until retiring in the mid-1990’s. In 2018, the couple moved to Sioux Center, where they lived at Kosgrove Estates, and more recently at Franken Manor. In June of this year, Ernie became a resident of Good Samaritan Society in George.

Mr. Wielenga was a lifelong member of the First Christian Reformed Church and a longtime member of the Pressman-Kosters American Legion Post, both in Orange City. Ernie was a regular volunteer at several local organizations including the Meals on Wheels Program and at Justice for All. He and Jeanette spent many winter months at Mission Bell Resort in Mission, Texas, where Ernie was a member of the resort’s church board and he volunteered at the Children’s Haven International. A highlight for Ernie was participating in the Midwest Honor Flight in May of 2018. He enjoyed maintaining his garden and wood working, making his special “Sugar Popcorn” for his family, and had an appreciation for anything John Deere related.

Survivors include his wife, Jeanette, of Sioux Center; four children and their spouses, Julene and Glen Leusink, of Orange City; Lyle and Barbara Wielenga, of Avon, South Dakota; Karen and Joel Schuiteman, of Sioux Center; and Myra and Ron Dykstra, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; twelve grandchildren, Brent (Rebecca) Leusink, Daniel (Jennifer) Leusink, Loren (Nicole) Leusink, Tena Huitema, Craig (Lori) Wielenga, Stacy Wielenga, Ryan (Cassie) Wielenga, Lindsay (Fred) Staudy, Kari (Lucas) Jungemann, Nicole (Nathan) Larson, Abigail (Nathaniel) Cordel, and Adam (Kaley) Dykstra; 25 great-grandchildren, with two more expected soon; two brothers-in-law and their wives, Mike and Audrey Fedders, of George; and Bernie and Irma Fedders, of Orange City; along with numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by Jeanette’s parents, Ben and Lucy Fedders; two brothers and their wives, Louis and Josephine Wielenga; and Garry and Wilmina Wielenga; a sister and her husband, Marietta and Henry Mulder; two brothers-in-law, Gerald Fedders, as an infant; and George Fedders, and his wife, Dorothy; and two sisters-in-law, Nelvina, and her husband, Glenn De Haan; and Harriet, and her husbands, Stan Folkema and Glenn Hubenette.

Memorials may be directed to the Orange City Area Home Health and Hospice or the First Christian Reformed Church in Orange City.

Source: Oolman Funeral Home online obituary.