Richard E. Veldhuizen
Richard E. Veldhuizen
November 15, 1920 – December 02, 2010
Visitation: will begin at 11:00 a.m., Monday morning, December 06, 2010 at Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel. The family will be at the funeral chapel from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. to greet visitors.
Funeral Service: 10:30 a.m., Tuesday morning, December 07, 2010 at First Christian Reformed Church with Reverend Dale Visser officiating. A family prayer service will be held in the church basement at 10:15 preceding the funeral service.
Interment: Forest Cemetery with Military Honors by the Harry L. Anderson Post #34 of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #2237 and Disabled American Veterans Post #21.
Richard passed away Thursday morning at the Mahaska Hospice Serenity House in Oskaloosa at the age of 90 years and seventeen days.
Richard Edward Veldhuizen, son of John and Hattie Schemper Veldhuizen, was born November 15, 1920 near Prairie View, Kansas. December 1925, his family moved to Tracy, Iowa, where Rich attended Tracy School and later Jack Oak School in Mahaska County. As one of eight children, Rich helped on the family farm and after his schooling, continued to farm with his father. He was inducted into the U.S. Army on October 3, 1942 and was discharged January 24, 1946. While in the military he married Bernice Kool, December 5, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky. After his discharge, Richard and Bernice settled on a farm near Fremont, Iowa, where he farmed until 1984, at which time they moved to Oskaloosa. Rich was a member of the First Christian Reformed Church and was active in the Gideons. He was also a member of the American Legion. Richard served as an election official for many years and also served as a Cedar Township Trustee. During his retirement years, Rich enjoyed golfing and drinking coffee with his buddies.
Rich’s family includes his wife, Bernice of Oskaloosa; a son, John (Ongie) Veldhuizen of Blairsville, GA; two grandsons: Randy (Kim) Veldhuizen of Oskaloosa and Robert (Jill) Veldhuizen of Eddyville, Iowa; four step-grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; fourteen step-great-grandchildren and two step-great-great-grandchildren. He is survived by two sisters: Gradda Tien of Phillipsburg, KS and Veda (Bill) Bousema of Sanborn, IA; and three brothers: Jay Veldhuizen, Bill Veldhuizen, and Dale Veldhuizen, all of Oskaloosa.
Besides his parents, Rich was preceded in death by a sister, Hendreen Branderhorst and a brother, Albert Veldhuizen.
Source: GVL Funeral Chapel
