Ryerkerk, Donald Adrian 1926-2017

RYERKERK, NUGTEREN, PLATE, POWELL, GRIFFITH, POL

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 7/13/2021 at 21:35:29

Donald Adrian Ryerkerk
April 21, 1926 - November 25, 2017

Donald Adrian Ryerkerk, age 91 of Pleasant Hill, passed away on Saturday, November 25, 2017, at Kavanagh Hospice House in Des Moines. Memorial services will be held on Wednesday, November 29, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. at Crossroads Fellowship in West Des Moines. Burial for Donald and his son Steven will take place at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday at Waveland Cemetery in Prairie City. Visitation will take place on Tuesday, November 28, 2017, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the church. Memorials may be directed to Hospice of Central Iowa and condolences may be left for the family at www.coburnfuneralhomes.com

The son of John and Jennie (Nugteren) Ryerkerk, Donald was born on April 21, 1926, in rural Prairie City. He graduated from Prairie City High School and later earned his Bachelor and Master's degree from Iowa State University. Don served in the United States Army during the Korean War.

On June 10, 1953, he was united in marriage to Joan Plate at the Prairie City Christian Reformed Church.

Don taught in the Mason City School District for many years, was the Director of Adult Education at North Iowa Community College and served as the Director of The North Iowa Area Agency on Aging. He grew up in the Prairie City Christian Reformed Church; was a founding member of the Rolling Acres Christian Reformed Church in Mason City and was most recently attending Crossroads Reformed Church in West Des Moines. Don was an avid reader, enjoyed woodworking, fishing and traveling.

Those left to honor his memory include his wife, Joan; four children, Douglas (Cheryl) Ryerkerk, Carol (Ray) Powell, David (Patricia) Ryerkerk and Lori (Carl Griffith) Ryerkerk; 10 grandchildren; five great grandchildren; a sister, Dorothy Pol and many nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death were his parents, a son, Steven; three sisters, Wilma, Lena, Bertha; and a brother Ray. ~ The Coburn Funeral Home, Colfax, Iowa 25 Nov 2017.