Ted Van Voorst

Ted Van Voorst, 86, of Sioux Center died Thursday, February 26, 2009 at the Royale Meadows Care Center of Sioux Center.

A funeral service will be held Saturday at 2pm at Bethel Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center with Rev. Carl Klompein officiating. Interment will follow the service in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center.

Visitation will be held Friday from 4-8PM with the family present from 6-8PM at Bethel Christian Reformed Church.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center.

The Van Voorst family prefers memorials be directed to: Sioux Center Community Hospital Foundation and CHEARS Home Health and Hospice.



Theodore (Ted) Van Voorst was born on April 21, 1922 to Bert and Henrietta (Schut) Van Voorst near Chester, South Dakota. At a young age, Ted moved with his family to an acreage just west of Sioux Center where Ted completed his education at the Sioux Center Community School. The family then moved to a farm near Ireton. In the spring of 1945, Ted entered the service during WWII. On September 5, 1945, while home on furlough, Ted was joined in marriage to Geraldine Schiebout at the Ireton Christian Reformed Church. Five days later, Ted left for a one year tour of duty in Japan before returning home in October of 1946.

Ted worked at "Sinkey" Garage in Ireton until 1951, at which time Ted and Geraldine began farming. They farmed first at Orange City, then Ireton, LeMars and finally at Hull. They raised hogs and milked during those years. The couple farmed for more than 35 years, before semi-retiring to an acreage by Hull where they lived for six years. In, 1992, they retired to Sioux Center, and in April of 2008 they moved into Crown Pointe in Sioux Center. Ted became a resident at the Royal Meadows Care Centre in December of 2008.

Ted was faithful in service to his church and in his church attendance. He served as a deacon in Ireton CRC and an elder in LeMars CRC and Hull CRC. In his spare time, he enjoyed reading, woodworking and fixing puzzles. He cherished the times spent together with his family.

Ted is survived by his wife of 63 years, Geraldine of Sioux Center; four sons and daughter-in-laws: Donald and Marjorie Van Voorst, Wilbert and Connie Van Voorst and Gerald and Marcia Van Voorst all of Sioux Center, and Wayne and Gloria Van Voorst of Lakefield, Minnesota.; daughter and son-in-law, Lois and Rodney Wielenga of Orange City, Iowa; 15 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Harriet Van Voorst of Sioux Center; Ann Van Bruggen of Orange City; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; Ben and Irene Schiebout, Chris and Ila Schiebout and Clarence and Lena Vander Laan, all of Orange City; Abe and Hermina Schiebout of Pipestone, Minnesota; Herman and Betty Schiebout of Denver, Colorado; Gene and Adri Ruisch of LeMars Iowa; and William and Sue Schiebout of Loveland, Colorado as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Hermina Van Voorst; brothers, Richard B. Van Voorst and John B. Van Voorst; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Ferd and Florence Schiebout, Henry and Ethel Schiebout, Peter and Johanna Sinkey, brothers-in-law, Arie Van Bruggen and Gay Krull.