Mr. Jay De Jong, age 77, of Orange City, passed away on Thursday, September 19, 2013, at the Heritage House Nursing Home in Orange City.
There will be a funeral service on Monday, September 23, at 10:30am, at the Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Orange City. The Rev. John Klompien will officiate. Interment will follow at the West Lawn Cemetery in Orange City. Visitation will be after 4:00pm on Sunday, with the family present from 4:00pm to 6:00pm, at the Oolman Funeral Home in Orange City.
Jay Bertram was born on March 14, 1936, in Orange City, the son of Orville and Elizabeth (Mouw) De Jong. He attended school in Orange City and graduated with the Class of 1953.
He began working with his dad at the Orange Motor Company in Orange City, the local Oldsmobile dealership, eventually going into sales. He married the love of his life, Gloria Marra, of Alton, on November 17, 1954, in Orange City. They lived in Orange City, where they raised three children. When the dealership was sold in 1991, Jay became a jailor at the Sioux County Jail, retiring in 2002.
Jay enjoyed golfing, had a great sense of humor, and enjoyed teasing his family. His children and grandchildren were the joy of his life. He was a member of the Calvary Christian Reformed church. He was a charter member of the Orange City Jaycees, and he helped with sets at Tulip Festival night shows. He was a history buff and enjoyed reading about World War II.
Jay and Gloria entered the Heritage House, nursing home, in Orange City, in February of 2013, where they resided until Gloria passed away on April 25, 2013, after more than 58 years of marriage. Jay continued to live there and enjoyed visiting with many of the residents. He liked to give the staff a hard time and kept them on their toes.
He is survived by his three children, Sherry De Jong, of Carlsbad California, Sheila (Timothy) Cowles, of Sioux City, and Brian De Jong, of Orange City; two granddaughters, Brooke (Jared) Donnelly and Audra (Ronald) Scott; and two great-grandsons, Gavin and Evan Donnelly, all of Omaha, Nebraska; a brother, Hallard (Shirley) De Jong, of Orange City; two sisters-in-law, Olva (Lambert) Hollinga, of Orange City and Mary Marra, of Cedar Falls; and many nieces and nephews.
His family is grateful to the staff of the Heritage House and the Orange City Area Home Health and Hospice for their excellent and loving care.
Memorials will be directed to the Orange City Area Home Health and Hospice.
