John Vander Ziel

Hills, MN John Vander Ziel, age 91 of Hills, MN died Friday, November 24, 2006 at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Hills United Reformed Church in Hills, MN with Rev. Doug Barnes, officiating. Burial will follow in the Hills United Reformed Cemetery at Hills, MN. Visitation will be Monday from 2:00 - 8:00 p.m. with the family present from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Roste Funeral Home of Hills. John Vander Ziel was born February 2, 1915, at Orange City, IA the son of Burgert and Berdena (Pleiter) Vander Ziel. John grew up on the family farm and attended country school. As a young man, he farmed with his dad, drove truck and operated feed grinder. On February 22, 1940, John was united in marriage to Gertrude Brouwer. The newly wed couple made their home by Ireton,IA and later moved to California, where he worked in a venetian blind factory. Three years later they moved to Sheldon and opened a venetian blind factory. In 1948, John and Gertude moved to Holland, MN where they farmed for the next thirty years. He served as an elder for many years and as a school board member of the Holland Christian School. In 1978, they retired and moved to Hills. John was a member of the Hills United Reformed Church. In August of 2005, John was diagnosed with kidney failure and he began dialysis. This past Friday evening, November 24, 2006, John died at Sioux Valley Hospital at the age of ninety-one. He is survived by his daughters, Beverly and her husband, John Den Besten of Hills; Shirley and her husband, Leon Mulder of Doon, IA and Elaine and her husband, Ken Vanden Berg of Hills, MN; along with ten grandchildren; ten great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. John was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Gertrude; grandson, Daniel Mulder; six brothers, Henry, George, Gerrit, Steven Bernard and Paul Vander Ziel; and one sister, Catherine Van Leeuwen.