Jerry DeVries
Jerry DeVries
Jerry DeVries
April 5, 1936 – December 13, 2016
Knoxville (Oskaloosa), Iowa | Age 80
Jerry DeVries, 80, of Knoxville and formerly of Oskaloosa, died Tuesday, December 13, 2016, at his home in Knoxville. He was born April 12, 1936, in the Netherlands, the son of Jelle and Anna Kuiken DeVries.
Jerry attended school in the Netherlands until the family moved to the United States in 1949, and settled near Leighton.
On October 25, 1955, he was united in marriage to Jean Vander Meyden at Oskaloosa. To this union six children were born: Jolene, Linda, Darrell, Ron, and twin stillborn daughters. Jerry and Jean later divorced.
Early in his adult life, Jerry farmed near Leighton. Jerry later moved into Oskaloosa and worked at the Oskaloosa egg plant. In 1960, Jerry started his trucking career. He started out with a single axle truck, and continued to own, operate and grow DeVries Trucking. In the early 1980’s, Jerry was pleased to have his two sons join him in the family business. In the mid 2000’s he retired from trucking and sold his truck line of three Peterbuilt semis.
Jerry loved going to the lake, he was an avid fisherman and had a knack of always finding fish. He also enjoyed taking his family to the lake to boat, swim and water ski. He looked forward to yearly trips to the Lake of the Ozarks with his family and to Canada fishing with his buddies.
He was a member of the Good News Chapel in Oskaloosa. He looked forward to attending the sprint car races in Knoxville every week. In retirement Jerry and his companion Karen enjoyed escaping the cold to his “winter paradise” in Florida.
He is survived by his four children: Jolene Woodard of Oskaloosa, Linda (& Tom) Kruseman of Leighton, Darrell DeVries of Ottumwa, and Ron DeVries of Fremont; six grandchildren: Travis (& Monica) Woodard, Stephanie Woodard, Ben Kruseman, Staci (& Kory) Wright, Crystal DeVries, and Candis Messamaker; six great grandchildren: Bailee, Madison, Kinnick, Kennedy, Rilynn, and Reagan; two brothers: John S. (& Alberta) DeVries and Dirk DeVries all of Pella; three sisters: Cobie (& Bernie) Spoelstra of Otley, Fran Poortinga of Pella, and Shirley Serrano in Florida; and many nieces and nephews; and his close friend and companion Karen DeMoss of Knoxville.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents; stillborn twin daughters; a grandson, D.J. Waters; and two brothers in law, Duane Poortinga and Bob Serrano.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 17, 2016, at 1:30 p.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa with Pastor Alvern Boetsma officiating.
Burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery near Leighton. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
Visitation will begin Friday after 11 a.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel and the family will be at the funeral chapel from 5-7 Friday evening to greet friends and relatives.
Memorials may be made to the MHP Hospice Serenity House in Oskaloosa.
