Verlan Eveland
Verlan Eveland
September 30, 1956 – September 19, 2011
Oskaloosa, Iowa
Visitation: will begin at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday morning, September 21, 2011 at Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel. The family will be present from 4 – 8 p.m. to greet visitors.
Funeral Service: 10:30 a.m., Thursday morning, September 22, 2011 at Central Reformed Church. A 10:15 a.m. Family Prayer Service will precede the funeral in the church basement.
Interment: Forest Cemetery.
Fish finished his long and courageous battle with cancer and went home to be with his Lord and Savior Monday morning at the Mercy Hospice House in Johnston.
Verlan Dean Eveland, son of Warren and Adeline Van Mersbergen Eveland, was born September 30, 1956 in Oskaloosa, Iowa. He was raised on his parent’s farm in S.W. Mahaska County and attended Oskaloosa Christian School through the eighth grade. He was a 1974 graduate of Oskaloosa High School. While in high school, Fish met the love of his life, Debra Lynn Engelhoven, a young lady from Denver, Colorado. After a long romance of seven years, they married September 4, 1981. Fish’s first job in high school was as a mechanic at Van Hulzen 66 Oil Company, where his passion and life’s work had its beginning. Following high school, Fish worked briefly for Larry and Judy Rozenboom as a farm hand and then at Drost Equipment as a mechanic until 1986. At that time, Fish went to work at Pella Corp, where he worked in corporate maintenance. In 1996, Fish and Debbie purchased the Oskaloosa Service Center, previously Van Hulzen Oil Company. For five years, Fish worked at Pella Corp in the evening and ran Oskaloosa Service Center during the day. In 2001, he left Pella Corp, and with Debbie’s assistance, has exclusively run Oskaloosa Service Center, Inc.
Fish was a member of the N.R.A. and enjoyed occasional deer hunting trips with his dad, sons, brothers and friends and he also enjoyed riding his motorcycle. He was member of Central Reformed Church and served as an usher and a deacon and enjoyed small group Bible study. He also was indispensable in locating and supplying many of the craft materials for vacation Bible school in past years. Fish treasured the time he spent with his family and helping his children with projects. Fish lived his faith in a practical way, his joy was in helping others and his job allowed him to do that daily. Beyond his work at the service center, Fish found time to spend with his elderly friends – taking them places they wouldn’t be able to go by themselves. Fish and Debbie appreciate the loyalty and friendship of their many customers.
Fish’s family includes his wife Debbie of 30 years; his children: Jason and Kelsey Eveland of West Des Moines; Kristen and Paul Toppin of Clayton, Iowa and Jonathan Eveland of Oskaloosa; grandchildren: Zackery Scott, Nathaniel Dean and Ana Marie; his parents, Warren and Adeline Eveland of Oskaloosa; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Garlyn and Irene Engelhoven of Oskaloosa; brothers and sisters-in-law: Duane and Elaine Eveland and Eugene and Gloria Eveland, both of Oskaloosa; several nieces and nephews; and many, many brothers and sisters in Christ.
Memorials may be made to Fish’s Fight Scholarship Fund, Central Reformed Church or Mercy Hospice House.
