Emery Van Tilburg

FUNERAL NOTICE: George, Iowa Emery Van Tilburg age 75 of George, IA died Saturday, September 1, 2007, at the Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 4th at Tabernacle Baptist Church, George, IA with Rev. Bryan Anderson, officiating. Burial will follow in the Evergreen Lawn Cemetery of George. Visitation will be Monday from 2:30-8:00 p.m. with the family present from 6-8 p.m. at the Roste Funeral Home of George. Emery Van Tilburg was born on March 16, 1932, the son of Cornelius and Antonette (Smit) Van Tilburg in Carmel, IA. He was raised in Carmel and later Rock Rapids and attended Lakewood country school. On December 23, 1953, he was united in marriage to Edith Marie Korthals on the Korthals family farm by George. Emery was drafted in the Army Artillery in February of 1953 and was stationed at Fort Sill, OK for eighteen months. After being honorably discharged in March of 1955 he returned to George where he farmed west of town for ten years and later farmed by Edna for sixteen years. In 1982, Emery and his wife moved to Rock Rapids for three year and then moved back to George where they have lived ever since. Emery was not just a farmer he was a feed, seed and fertilizer dealer and also a bus driver for George school. He was a member of the Tabernacle Baptist Church and attended the Wednesday afternoon Seniors Bible Study. He was also a member of the Jack Sauter American Legion Post #404. Emery enjoyed fishing, flower gardening, he was a toy collector and an avid Minnesota Twins baseball fan. Emery is survived by his wife of fifty-three years Edith Van Tilburg; five children, Arlys (husband Larry) De Beer of Ellsworth, MN, Carla (husband Randy) Deutsch of Sioux Falls, SD, Brenda (husband Curt) Gisolf of Rock Rapids, Delinda (husband Warren) Jansma of Ellsworth, MN and Curtis (wife Rochelle) Van Tilburg of Sibley; thirteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; four siblings, Floris (wife Delores) Van Tilburg, Thomas (wife Marge) Van Tilburg, Marvin (wife Coba) Van Tilburg all of Rock Valley, IA and Judina Vanden Berg of Corsica, SD; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, and one brother-in-law, John Vanden Berg.