William "Bill" Bontje

Larchwood, IA William Bill Bontje, age 83 of Rock Rapids, formerly of Larchwood, IA died Saturday, December 24, 2011 at Rock Rapids Health Centre. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM, Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at The Church of St. Mary in Larchwood, IA, with Fr. Jeff Schleisman as celebrant. Burial will follow at Larchwood Cemetery in Larchwood. Visitation will be Tuesday, December 27th from 2:00 to 8:00 PM, with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at The Church of St. Mary in Larchwood. There will also be a Vigil service at 7:00 PM, Tuesday evening at the church. William Cornelius Bontje was born July 16, 1928 in Voorburg, Holland, the son of Peter and Marie (Vieveen) Bontje. He was raised in Voorburg, Holland where he attended school including two years of carpenter school. He enlisted in the Dutch Army, trained in Holland and served in the East Indies on the island of Java. After he was discharged he immigrated to the United States with his family in 1950. Once in the United States he started out working for various farmers in the Larchwood area as a farm hand. On November 24, 1951 Bill was united in marriage to Mary Wiering Shipley at Tyler, Minnesota. He drove a fuel truck for Standard Oil in Larchwood for about 4 years. He then started a Texaco service station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with Bob Williams. In 1959 he opened the North Star service station in Larchwood where he was known as Big Bill , and later worked for the City of Larchwood. He was a member of The Church of St. Mary in Larchwood, where he served as cemetery sexton for several years. He enjoyed dancing, singing, Pinochle and playing golf in his younger years. He also enjoyed traveling with his wife, Mary. He was known for baking bread and sharing it with his family and friends. Mary and Bill always showed up for family functions. His children will remember their father as a large, strong man who provided for their family through his hard work. On February 11, 2002 Bills wife, Mary died after 50 years of marriage. He became a resident at Premier Estates in Rock Rapids, IA, until he entered the Rock Rapids Health Centre in 2010. He remained there until his death this past Saturday, December 24, 2011. He is survived by his four children, Cathy Grotewold of Larchwood, IA, LaDonna (husband, Jack) Hamann of Inwood, IA, Debra (husband, Marvin) Flier of Rock Rapids, IA and Dale (wife Pat) Bontje of Altoona, WI; twelve grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; four sisters, Rita Alleven of Larchwood, IA, Polly Janiszeski of Minneota, MN, Margaret (husband Clarence) Kapperman of Hartford, SD and Theresa (husband Robert) Soukup of Woodbury, MN; and one brother, Peter (wife Mary Ann) Bontje of Larchwood, IA; and many other extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Marie Bontje; his wife, Mary Bontje; two sisters, Corrie Bloetjes and Ann Wiering; one son-in-law John Leap Grotewold; and one great-grandson, Michael Hamann.