John Feekes

Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at Carmel Reformed Church, rural Rock Valley, Iowa, for John William Feekes, 80, Sioux Center, Iowa, who died Thursday, June 18 at Hillcrest Nursing Home in Hawarden, Iowa.

Burial was in the Carmel Cemetery.

John was born Oct. 8, 1928 near Carmel, Iowa, to William and Cornelia (Hulshof) Feekes. He married Jeanette Vonk on Feb. 4, 1948. After their marriage, they farmed west of Sioux Center for a few years. They purchased a farm near Carmel, feeding livestock and operating a dairy. John eventually became involved in trucking and dealing livestock. In 1976 they sold the farm and moved to Rugby, where they operated Feekes Trucking and Cattle Company. In 1986 they moved back to Sioux Center and continued the business until retiring in 1992. After retirement they lived in Sioux Center during the summer and Arizona during the winter. Jeanette died on March 15, 2009.

Over the years John was a member of Carmel Reformed Church in Iowa and First Lutheran Church while living in Rugby.

He is survived by seven children: Harlan Feekes, Modesto, Calif.; Nelva Petersen, Dunlap, Iowa; Mike Feekes, Irene, S.D.; Doug Feekes, Litchfield, Ariz.; Cheri Helfenstein, Mons, Belgium; Tami Feekes-Benedict, Marina, Calif.; and Verlyn Feekes, Elbert, Colo.; 16 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; a brother, Ted Feekes, Hawarden, Iowa; four sisters, Catherine Moerman, Nellie Vander Vliet, Edna Van Abbema, Mina Mouw; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a grandson and his parents.

Arrangements by Memorial Funeral Home, Sioux Center, Iowa.