Howard Leroy Van Kekerix

IN MEMORY OF
HOWARD L.
VAN KEKERIX

BORN
January 8, 1923 ~ Sheldon, Iowa
PASSED AWAY
March 29, 2006 ~ Sanborn, Iowa

FUNERAL SERVICE
10:00 A.M. Saturday, April 1, 2006
First Reformed Church
Sheldon, Iowa

CLERGYMEN
Rev. David Brower and Rev. Gordon Bloemendaal

VISITATION
Friday, March 31, 2006 after 2:00pm
Family Present from 6:00 – 8:00pm
Vander Ploeg Funeral Home

MUSIC
“It Is Well With My Soul”
Sung by: Scott Paul Stahl
Accompanied by: Jamie Feldman
CONGREGATIONAL HYMNS
No. 479 “Onward, Christian Soldiers”
No. 202 “Amazing Grace”
No. 579 “Jesus Loves Me”
Organist: Midge Andringa

HONORARY CASKET BEARER
Granddaughter
Kinzie Layne Van Kekerix
CASKET BEARERS
Grandchildren
Michael Vande Griend Jill Vande Griend
Kevin Vande Griend Brian Vande Griend
Ashley Van Kekerix Amanda Van Kekerix
Benjamin Van Kekerix Joshua Van Kekerix

FINAL RESTING PLACE
East Lawn Cemetery ~ Sheldon, Iowa
Military Graveside Service by the:
American Legion Post # 145
and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post # 7354
of Sheldon, Iowa

After the graveside service,
relatives and friends are invited to
join the family in the fellowship hall of the church.

Arrangements under the care of
Vander Ploeg Funeral Home, Sheldon, Iowa
HOWARD L. VAN KEKERIX

Howard Leroy Van Kekerix, the son of Sam and Martha (Sneller) Van Kekerix was born January 8, 1923 on a farm near Sheldon, Iowa. He received his education through the 8th grade in a country school near Sheldon and received his honorary diploma from the Sheldon Community School in 2001. He entered the U.S. Army in February of 1944, serving as a P.F.C. in Co. C 15th Armored Infantry Battalion 5th Armory Division in World War II. On February 17, 1950, he was united in marriage to Suzanna Marie Westra in the First Reformed Church in Sheldon, Iowa. After their marriage the couple moved to a farm 4 ½ miles east of Sheldon. Howard retired from farming in 1989 and then moved into Sheldon in 1992. He passed away in the Prairie View Home in Sanborn, Iowa, reaching the age of 83 years, 2 months and 21 days.
He was a member of the First Reformed Church in Sheldon, where he had served on the Consistory; he was on the board of directors for the Sheldon Farmers Co-op Elevator, was a member of the Sheldon Prairie Queen Kiwanis and was a Sheldon Marigold volunteer. He enjoyed camping, golfing, fishing and spending his winter retirement months in Arizona. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family and playing pool with his grandchildren (and letting them win).
Left to cherish his memory, his wife of 56 years, Suzanna of Sheldon; three children, Jacquelyn and her husband, Dennis Vande Griend of Doon, IA; Kenneth Van Kekerix and his wife, Lisa of Sheldon, IA; Leroy Van Kekerix and his wife, Jasey of Orange City, IA; eight grandchildren, Michael Vande Griend and his wife, Jill; Kevin and Brian Vande Griend; Ashley, Amanda, Benjamin, Joshua and Kinzie Layne Van Kekerix; two great-grandchildren, Gracie and Jacob Vande Griend; a brother and his wife, Elmer and Helen Van Kekerix of Matlock, IA; his mother-in-law, Suzanna Westra of Sanborn, IA; and brothers and sisters-in-law, Mildred Van Kekerix of La Palma, CA; Thelmar Jansma of Dell Rapids, SD; Jake and Alma Westra of Sheldon, IA; Hermina and Daryle Hilbrands of George, IA; Bertha Dammann of Vesper, WI; Marlowe and Lu Westra of Tacoma, WA; Ronald Westra of Tallahassee, FL; and other relatives and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers and a sister-in-law, Raymond Van Kekerix and his wife, Alice and Weldon Van Kekerix; a sister, Martha Jansma; his father-in-law, Peter J. Westra; and a brother-in-law, Darell Dammann.