Merle Van Roekel

Rock Rapids, IA Merle Van Roekel age 88 of Rock Rapids, IA died Tuesday, July 24, 2012 at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills, MN. Funeral service will be 2:00 PM Thursday, July 26th at First Reformed Church in Rock Rapids, IA, with Rev. Dave Sikkema officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in Rock Rapids. Visitation will be Thursday, July 26th one hour prior to the service at the church. Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids is in charge of services. Merle Addison Van Roekel was born on February 29, 1924 on a farm four miles north of Sioux Center, IA, to John G. and Sarah (Te Grotenhuis) Van Roekel. Merle attended Country School at Welcome #3 for eight years. He then attended Sioux Center High School and graduated in 1941. After graduating he then was drafted into the U.S. Army on April 12, 1945 and served over seas in Okinawa, Japan. On June 14, 1954, Merle was united in marriage to JoAnn Van Maanen at the Newton Reformed Church in Erie, IL. The couple lived on the family farm three miles south of Perkins corner. They later bought a farm and made their home, a few miles west of Rock Rapids. Merles wife JoAnn passed away on March 5, 2008 and later in the fall of that year Merle retired from farming and moved to the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills, MN. He was a member of the First Reformed Church in Rock Rapids, where he had served on the consistory and as a Sunday school teacher. He was an antique collector and enjoyed driving antique tractors in parades. He also took part in many toy shows over the years. Merle is survived by his three brothers, Clinton (Flossie) Van Roekel of George, IA, James Van Roekel of Urbandale, IA and Arlin (Alvina) Van Roekel of Waukee, IA; sister-in-law, Edna Van Roekel of Fulda, MN; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife JoAnn; two brothers, Gershom and Warren; and two sisters-in-law, Lillian and Erma Jean Van Roekel.