George Van Roekel

George Van Roekel, 89, of Cherokee, IA, formerly of Orange City, died Wednesday, July 16, 2014, at the Cherokee Regional Medical Center in Cherokee. A prayer service for family and friends will be held on Monday at 10:15AM at the First Reformed Church of Orange City. Interment will follow the prayer service in Westlawn Cemetery of Orange City. A memorial service will be held on Monday at 11:00AM at the First Reformed Church Chapel with Rev. Mark Haverdink officiating. George Edward Van Roekel was born June 28, 1925 on the family farm near Orange City, Iowa. He was the son of Otto and Grace (Pals) Van Roekel. After graduating from high school, George enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served stateside during World War II from July 1, 1943 to May 27, 1946. George attended the University of Iowa where he received a business degree and law degree. He was employed with a Chicago CPA firm for three years before accepting a position with the Chief Counsel for the Internal Revenue Service's Minneapolis office. George was an attorney for the IRS for four years. While living in Minneapolis, George married Elizabeth Johnson. The couple divorced and had a son, John. During his late 20s, George was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He lived in various mental health facilities and nursing homes and was a resident at the Cherokee Villa Nursing and Rehab Center in Cherokee, Iowa for the past 32 years. George is survived by two brothers and sisters-in-law, Rodney and Eleanor Van Roekel of Orange City and Glenn and Audrey Van Roekel of Coralville, IA; sister, Gladys Mitchell of Edina, MN; sister and brother-in-law, Marla and Joe Mooibroek of McKinney, TX, and sister-in-law, Rosalie Van Roekel of Aledo, IL, along with eleven nieces and nephews. George was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Otto Van Roekel Jr.; infant brother, Wilbur James Van Roekel and brother-in-law, J. Gordon Mitchell.