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Arnold Vermeer, 88, of Sioux Center died Friday, July 16, 2010, at the Sioux Center Community Hospital.
Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at New Life Reformed Church of Sioux Center, with the Rev. Carl Boersma officiating. A prayer service for family and friends will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday at the church. Interment will follow the prayer service in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 5 to 7 p.m., at Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center.
Arnold James Vermeer was born on the family farm south of...
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Arnold Vermeer, 88, of Sioux Center died Friday, July 16, 2010, at the Sioux Center Community Hospital.
Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at New Life Reformed Church of Sioux Center, with the Rev. Carl Boersma officiating. A prayer service for family and friends will be held 10 a.m. Tuesday at the church. Interment will follow the prayer service in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 5 to 7 p.m., at Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center.
Arnold James Vermeer was born on the family farm south of Sioux Center, Iowa, on Feb. 15, 1922, to Jacob and Henrietta (Nieman) Vermeer. He attended the Sioux Center Christian School and graduated from Sioux Center High School with the Class of 1940. Arnie attended Northwestern Academy for two years before he was drafted into the U.S. Army. He served his country for three years during World War II as a Chaplin's Assistant, while stationed on the Island of Saipan.
Upon his discharge, he returned home to marry Frances R. Colenbrander of Orange City, Iowa, on June 12, 1946. He completed his college education at Westmar College where he received his teaching degree. In 1947, Arnie began teaching skills his students would use the rest of their lives. The first three years he taught industrial arts and coached girls basketball at Melvin High School. He then took a position in Maurice, Iowa, teaching eighth grade.
He later accepted a position with the Sioux Center High School where he taught a Bible class and industrial arts for several years. During this time Arnie also coached junior high boys basketball and later became the high school boys golf coach. Throughout his teaching career Arnie also served in northwest Iowa as a high school basketball referee.
For a period of three years, Arnie was involved as a partner in De Ruyter Hardware in downtown Sioux Center; however, his heart was in teaching which he returned to until his retirement. During his early retirement years he worked as an independent siding installer and put his carpentry skills to work completing small construction projects in the area.
He was a charter member of New Life Reformed Church of Sioux Center, serving as co-chairman of the church's building committee.
Arnie is survived by his wife of 64 years, Frances "Fritz" Vermeer of Sioux Center; daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Evan De Boer of Rock Rapids, Iowa; son and daughter-in-law, Bob and Laura Vermeer of Omaha, Neb.; his six grandchildren, Barbie (Denny) Bass of Fairbank, Iowa, Kristie (Cory) Lamphere of Windsor Heights, Iowa, Stephanie De Boer of Des Moines, Iowa, Jason (Amy) Vermeer of Omaha, Ryan (Angie) Vermeer of Lawrence, Kan., and Jaime Thompson of Omaha; along with 14 great-grandchildren. Arnie is also survived by his sister, Johanna Vermeer and sister-in-law, Loretta Vermeer, both of Sioux Center.
Preceding Arnie in death were his parents; sister and brother-in-law, Harriet and John Vander Schaaf; four brothers and sisters-in-law, Bert and Angeline Vermeer, Ed and Priscilla Vermeer, Bill and Harriet Vermeer, and Marvin and Gladys Vermeer; and brother-in-law, Harvey Vermeer.
Arnie will be remembered for his infectious smile and his God-given desire to teach. He truly loved coaching and sports in general, particularly golf. He felt especially blessed by the time spent with his beloved Fritz, children and grandchildren.
The Vermeer family prefers memorials be directed to New life Reformed Church of Sioux Center.
-Obituary from The Sioux City Journal (7/19/2010)
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