John Van Voorst

John Van Voorst, 81, of Sioux Center, IA, died Sunday, October 19, 2014, at his Sioux Center Residence. A visitation will be held on Monday from 4-8PM, with the family present from 6-8PM at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday at 2PM at the Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Sioux Center with Rev. PL Bazen officiating. Interment will follow the service in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center. The Van Voorst family prefers memorials to Sioux Center Hospice or The Netherlands Reformed Christian School. John J. Van Voorst was born March 10, 1933 to Jacob and Jennie (Maassen) Van Voorst near Doon, Iowa. During his formative years his family lived on farms near Carmel, Rock Valley and Alvord, Iowa. He attended country school through the eighth grade. John served in the United States Army and Army Reserve from 1953 to 1955. After his discharge he returned to Iowa. On August 14, 1957, he was joined in marriage to Rena Van Ravenswaay in her parents' home near Sioux Center, Iowa. As a young man, he worked as a mechanicuntil he started to farm in 1960. John and Rena spent most of their married lives and raised their family on the farm west of Sioux Center. After retiring from farming, they moved into Sioux Center in 1992. John was a lifetime member of the Netherlands Reformed Congregation, where he served as an office bearer for many years. In his free time, John enjoyed reading and woodworking. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Rena Van Voorst of Sioux Center; four daughters and sons-in-law: Rhonda and Bob Fillingsness of Beresford, SD, Judy and Mike Claussen of Rock Valley, IA, Rachel and Dan Schreurs of Alvord, IA and Janelle and Kevin Hoogendoorn of Ireton, IA; 14 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; two brothers, Jake and Hilda Van Voorst of Lester, IA, Raymond Van Voorst, Sioux City, IA; sister, Jeanette and Marv Van Beek of Rock Valley. He is also survived by members of the Van Ravenswaay family: Carol and Gerrit Koedam of Mesa, AZ, Mary and Ed Zuschlag of Westminster, CO, Shirley Van Ravenswaay of Montevideo, MN, Alma and Charles Warren of Sioux Center and Sandra Van Ravenswaay of Sioux Center as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by a son, Jaylon Van Voorst; his parents; his parents-in-law, Anthony and Gerdena Van Ravenswaay; and other members of the Van Ravenswaay family: Alice and Junior Dooyema, Gertrude and Bill Horstman, Rich Van Ravenswaay, Ralph Van Ravenswaay, Harold Van Ravenswaay and Tony Van Ravenswaay.