A funeral service for Jacob De Jong, 91, will be held Saturday, July 23, at 11:30 AM, at First Presbyterian Church, Spirit Lake, Iowa. Visitation will begin at 10:30 AM at the church with a reception following the service. Burial will be at Worthington Cemetery.
Jacob James De Jong was born on February 25, 1930, in Newkirk, Iowa, and graduated from Newkirk High School in 1948. He received a two year degree from Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa and ran the family farm after his father passed away. Jake served in the US Army at Fort Holabird, Maryland and Fifth Army Headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, from 1951-1953. He finished his bachelor’s degree in Animal Husbandry at Iowa State University at Ames, Iowa in 1958. Jacob and Ruth Elaine De Zeeuw were married on August 1, 1958, and became missionary educators at Annville Institute in Jackson County, Kentucky, where they welcomed their first two sons. In 1964, Jake went to veterinary medical school at Auburn University in Alabama.
After graduation in 1968, the family moved to Perryville, Missouri. After their third son was born, Jake accepted a position in Worthington, Minnesota in 1969. “Doc” became a partner in the Veterinary Medical Center and practiced until 1994.
After retiring, Ruth and Jake split time at their homes in the Okoboji, Iowa, and Mesa, Arizona, and enjoyed traveling all over the world. Jake was an Elder and Deacon in the Worthington Reformed Church. He also served nine years as a Worthington city council member.
Jake passed away January 12, 2022, surrounded by family in Mesa, Arizona, at age ninety one. He is survived by two brothers – S. Earl De Jong and Ronald (Ardith) De Jong of Orange City, Iowa; one sister – Ruth (John) Rens of Larchwood, Iowa; three sons and their spouses – Bruce and Tracy (Johnson) De Jong of Minnetonka, Minnesota; Brian and Julie (Kreuger) De Jong of Grapevine, Texas; and Bradley and Tara (Rynders) De Jong of Eagan, Minnesota; and Bruce and Tracy’s daughters – Lauren Laine and Jenna Lynne De Jong.
Turner Jenness Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.