Albert Veldhuizen

Albert Veldhuizen: Hap passed away Saturday afternoon at the Pella Comfort House at the age of 92 years, 10 months and 28 days. Albert's family includes his wife of over 72 years, Virginia of Oskaloosa; five sons: Larry (Jean DeKock) Veldhuizen of Oskaloosa, Norman (Sherry) Veldhuizen of Pleasant Hill, Leo (Ann) Veldhuizen of Eddyville, Galen Veldhuizen of Oakland, TN, and Duane (Loree) Veldhuizen of Eddyville; five daughters: Patricia Ohrling-Carberry of Altoona, Phyllis Keicher of Colfax, Lorraine (Leroy) Ver Beek of Rose Hill, Delores (Fred) Carlo of Ottumwa and Eloise (Herb) Lobberecht of Eddyville; 27 grandchildren; 51 great- grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild. He is survived by two sisters: Gradda Tien of Phillipsburg, KS and Veda (Bill) Bousema of Sanborn, IA; four brothers: Jay Veldhuizen, William Veldhuizen, Richard (Bernice) Veldhuizen, and Dale Veldhuizen, all of Oskaloosa; a brother-in-law, Martin (Dee) Hogate of Warsaw, MO and many nieces, nephews and friends. Albert ""Hap"" Henry Veldhuizen, son of John and Hattie Schemper Veldhuizen, was born January 29, 1917 in a sod house near Prairie View, Phillips County, Kansas. As one of nine children, he worked along side his parents and siblings on the family farm. The hail storms two years in a row forced the family to move to Iowa where they settled near Tracy. He graduated 8th grade from a Mahaska county school. As a young man he was hired by nearby farmers as a hired hand and also by Lubbers Creamery in Pella as a delivery man. He married Virginia Augusta Hogate October 12, 1937 in Lancaster, MO. In the fall of 1941, an uncle, Andrew Van Kooten, offered to set them up in farming in Long Island, Kansas. They remained there until 1953, when the need to be near family brought them back to Iowa. The first six years they were back, they lived on a farm north of Bussey and in 1959 they moved to a farm southwest of Oskaloosa. An opportunity to purchase a farm south of Eddyville came in 1964, so once again Hap and Virginia packed up and moved down the road. This farm remains in the Veldhuizen family and after his retirement in 1979, Hap continued to assist his sons on the farm. In 1989, Hap and Virginia built a new home in Oskaloosa where they have since resided. Hap loved the farm, over his lifetime he went from planting with horses to harvesting with combines. He raised livestock and crops and in later years was best known for his dairy herd. He and Virginia enjoyed camping at the Iowa State Fair each year as well as camping at Lake Red Rock. Hap and Virginia made several trips to see their son Galen at the many locations the military had him stationed. He was a member of the Central United Methodist Church. As the father of eleven children, his family was his primary focus. In times of trials and in times of success, he was blessed to have his children and grandchildren work beside him for many years. Each Christmas, Hap and Virginia looked forward to having the whole family at their home for Christmas. Besides his parents, Albert was preceded in death by a son, Ronald Veldhuizen; two daughters-in-law: Judy and Dominique Veldhuizen; three sons-in-law: Carl Ohrling, William Carberry, and Robert Keicher; two grandchildren, Curtis Veldhuizen and Michael Keicher; a sister Hendreen Branderhorst and two brothers-in-law and four sisters-in-law. PDF Printable Version

Albert Veldhuizen

January 29, 1917 - December 26, 2009