Galen Dennis Veldhuizen
Galen Dennis Veldhuizen
Galen Dennis Veldhuizen
September 10, 1949 – February 10, 2015
Oskaloosa, Iowa | Age 65
Served With Honor ~ United States Military Veteran
Retired Master Sergeant Galen Dennis Veldhuizen, 65, of Oskaloosa and formerly of Goldsboro, NC passed away Tuesday evening, February 10, 2015, at the Mahaska Health Partnership Hospice Services Serenity House. Galen Dennis Veldhuizen, son of Albert Henry and Virginia Augusta (Hogate) Veldhuizen, was born, September 10, 1949, in Norton, Kansas.
The family moved to Iowa when Galen was still a young child and he attended school in Bussey, Oskaloosa and Eddyville, where he graduated in 1968.
Galen enlisted in the U.S. Air Force January 1969. He was trained as an airplane engine mechanic and traveled the United States and the world serving his country. Early on, he was stationed at Ellsworth AFB, SD and then served a tour in Vietnam. He was also stationed at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan and Leipheim Air Base in Germany. Over the 23 ½ years of his career he served at Barksdale Air Force Base, Shreveport, LA, Wurtsmith Air Force Base Michigan, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Goldsboro, NC and finally retired from Grissom Air Force Base Indianapolis, IN. Galen was an expert in maintenance of aircrafts and his specialty was in the KC-10, an aircraft used for transport and aerial refueling.
After his retirement in 1992, the family settled in Goldsboro, NC. While living there, he was recruited by Lockheed Martin as a Field Service Representative, trouble-shooting engine problems and implementing solutions. He went on to work for Boeing and then FedEx in the same capacity.
Galen married Dominique Kelly, January 5, 1973. Together they raised four sons. Galen’s love of all things mechanical extended to his love of muscle cars. His wife surprised him on his 50th birthday with a 1970 Orange Dodge Challenger, and he spent many happy hours working on that car.
Galen dedicated much of his life to his military career, but this did not overshadow his role of father and husband. His family always came first. In fact, he arranged his last duty station in Germany so his wife could be near her family in France. He will be remembered as a wise, generous, and hardworking man.
Galen’s family includes his sons: Chad Veldhuizen and his daughter, Hannah of Terra Haute, IN, James (& Kelly) Veldhuizen and his step-son, Shaun of Goldsboro, NC, Christopher (& Andrea) Veldhuizen and his daughters, Amiyah and Christyauna of Camp Pendleton, CA, and Nicholas (& Brynda) and his step-sons, William and Henry of Independence, MO; his siblings: Larry (& Jean) Veldhuizen of Oskaloosa, Patricia Ohrling-Carberry of Oskaloosa, Phyllis Keicher of Colfax, Lorraine (& Leroy) Ver Beek of Rose Hill, Norman (& Sherry) Veldhuizen of Pleasant Hill, Leo (& Ann) Veldhuizen of Albia, Delores (& Fred) Carlo of Ottumwa, Duane (& Loree) Veldhuizen of Eddyville, Eloise (& Herb) Lobberecht of Eddyville; his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Ervin and Yolande Kelly of Whiteland, IN; and several other family members.
In addition to his parents, Galen was preceded in death by his wife, Dominique, of 31 years, on November 8, 2004; a brother Ronald; his fiancée, Brenda Nelson; and several other family members.
Funeral services for Galen will be held at 6 p.m., Thursday evening, February 12, at Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel with Rev. Bruce Wittern of the Central United Methodist Church officiating.
Visitation will begin at 10 a.m., Thursday; the family will be present from 5 p.m. to service time to greet visitors.
Burial will be at 11 a.m., Friday morning, at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery at Van Meter, Iowa. Family and friends may gather at Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel on Friday and will depart for the cemetery at 9:15 a.m.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
