Bert DeKok

IN LOVING MEMORY OF
BERT DE KOK JR.

BORN
April 15, 1939 ~ Archer, Iowa
PASSED AWAY
September 22, 2018 ~ Sheldon, Iowa

MEMORIAL SERVICE
11:00 A.M. Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Archer Reformed Church; Archer, Iowa
Pastor Matthew Lee ~ Officiating

Visitation
will be after 5:00pm Monday, September 24, 2018
with the family present from 5:00 – 7:00pm
at the Vander Ploeg Funeral Home in Sheldon.

MUSIC
“Find Us Faithful”
Sung by: Dave, Scott, Steve and Jeff De Kok
CONGREGATIONAL HYMNS
“Amazing Grace”
“How Great Thou Art”
Pianist: Michelle De Kok

HONORARY CASKET BEARERS
Wyatt Roe Charlie Roe
Meron Roe Hans Hickman Kash Hickman
CASKET BEARERS
J.D. Sybesma Trisha Sybesma
Robert Ennest Sam Hickman
Monte Hickman Dennis Vanden Hull

FINAL RESTING PLACE
9:45 A.M Graveside Service, Tuesday, September 25, 2018
East Lawn Cemetery ~ Sheldon, Iowa

After today’s service relatives and friends are invited
to join the family in the fellowship hall of the church.

Arrangements are under the care of the:
Vander Ploeg Funeral Home; Sheldon, Iowa

“Happy Trails and God Bless”
BERT DE KOK JR.
Bert De Kok Jr., the son of Bert Sr. and Sylvia L. (Anderson) De Kok, was born April 15, 1939 on the family farm near Archer, Iowa. He attended Floyd Township Country School near Sheldon and graduated from Sheldon High School in 1957. On October 23, 1957, he was united in marriage to Thelma Peelen in the First Reformed Church in Sheldon. The couple made their home in Cherokee for 1½ years, then moved to the family farm near Archer, where he farmed until his retirement in 2000. Bert remained active helping on the farm until 2016 when he moved into the Sanford Sheldon Senior Care in Sheldon, Iowa. Bert passed away on Saturday, September 22, 2018 at Sanford Sheldon Senior Care, reaching the age of 79 years, 5 months and 7 days.
He was life member of the Archer Reformed Church in Archer, serving on the Consistory, and was an Elder and a Deacon. He was a member of the Cherokee Saddle Club, the Town & Country Saddle Club in Sutherland, the American Quarter Horse Association and the NW Iowa Harness Club. Bert always had a good horse and dog, he was a life-long horse person and had been riding ponies and horses since he was 5 years old. Bert always said that “he farmed to support his horse habit”. Bert was a great family man, loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
He leaves to cherish his memories his wife, Thelma of nearly 61 years; 2 daughters and their spouses, Dawn (Marty) Uittenbogaard of Sheldon, Iowa; Cindy (Tim) Hickman of Orange City, Iowa; 4 grandchildren, Trisha Sybesma and (fiancé, Robert Ennest), J.D. Sybesma, Sam (Jessica) Hickman, Monte (Joselyn) Hickman; 5 great-grandchildren; 2 sisters and a brother, LaVonne Monster of Hartley, Iowa, Frank (Sally) De Kok of Primghar, Iowa and Marci Link of So. Sioux City, Nebraska and other relatives and friends.
Bert was proceeded in death by his parents, a grandson, Max Hickman and 2 brothers-in-law, Arie Monster and John Link.

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted:

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up:

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing:

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

God has made everything beautiful in its time.

Eccl. 3:1-8, 11