Merle Lee Sorgdrager

Rock Rapids, IA Merle Lee Sorgdrager, age 83 of Rock Rapids, IA died Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at Lyon Manor Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Rock Rapids. Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 16th at First Reformed Church of Rock Rapids, with Rev. Dan Haggar officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery in Rock Rapids. Visitation will be Saturday, May 16th from 9:00 a.m. until the hour of service at the church. Merle Lee Sorgdrager was born November 13, 1931 at Orange City, Iowa, the son of Andrew and Johanna (Noteboom) Sorgdrager. He was raised in Orange City and attended Maurice - Orange City High School, where he was member of the football, baseball and basketball teams. He was captain of the 1951 Sioux County Conference Championship Basketball Team. He also received an invitation to play baseball for the New York Yankees Organization. After graduation he went to Barber College in Sioux City, IA. He was inducted into the U.S. Army on April 9, 1953 in Sioux Falls, SD. Merle was united in marriage to JoEllen Van Surksum on July 13, 1954 at the Alton Reformed Church in Alton, IA. He received his honorable discharge on April 8, 1955 at Ft. Bliss, TX. In 1956 he and JoEllen lived in Sioux Center, IA, while he worked at the local barber shop. In October of 1958 they moved to Rock Rapids, IA, where Merle owned and operated Merle's Barber Shop for 48 years. He retired in 1993. After retirement he continued working at the barber shop part-time for several years. Merle was a member of the First Reformed Church of Rock Rapids and the Rex Strait Post No. 103, American Legion of Rock Rapids. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and golfing and spent many hours of his leisure time making fishing lures and following local sports. Due to failing health, Merle entered the Lyon Manor Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Rock Rapids on April 14, 2014, where he remained until this past Wednesday, May 13, 2015, when he died at the age of 83. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, JoEllen Sorgdrager of Rock Rapids, IA; two daughters, Kathy (husband Mark) Vant Hul of Coralville, IA and Jami (husband Russ) Robers of Sioux Falls, SD; six grandchildren, Jaclyn (husband Tom) Paplow of West Des Moines, IA, Rachae (husband John) Jensen of North Liberty, IA, Chase Robers of Sioux Falls, SD, Joshua Robers of Brookings, SD, Michael Robers and Kevin Robers, both of Sioux Falls, SD; two great-grandsons, Quade Jensen and Ethan Paplow; a sister, Helene Nichols of Albia, IA; a brother-in-law, Edwin Van Surksum of Omaha, NE; and many other extended family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Johanna Sorgdrager; two newborn sons, Mark and Randy Sorgdrager; one sister-in-law, Virginia Van Surksum; and two brothers-in-law, Jim Brown and Albert Nichols.