John DeKruyf

John DeKruyf, age 85, of Buhl, Idaho, passed away on April 26, 2019, with his family by his side. John was born on September 29, 1933, to Nicholas and Johanna (Vander Stelt) DeKruyf, in Alvord, Iowa. He was one of eleven children.

His family moved to Brooten, Minnesota, in 1934. John worked on the family farm and a few of the surrounding farms, until he enlisted in the United States Army in 1954. He entered basic training at Fort Leonardwood, Missouri. Eventually he was stationed in Ettlengen, Germany, until November 1956. He was a heavy equipment operator, helping to rebuild the roads damaged in WWII. Upon leaving the  military, John came home to his parents who had moved to Artesia, California. There he met and married Thana Staal, on October 2, 1959, at Trinity Christian Reformed Church. Their 59 plus years of marriage blessed them with four sons, twelve grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.

John worked in various manufacturing and mechanical positions in Southern California, until he opened Cerritos Manufacturing and Repair in 1969, with his brother Cal. In August 1979, John sold the business and moved the family to Buhl, Idaho. There they bought a farm and built a small dairy.  John, Thana, and their boys operated the dairy and farmed until 1986. John continued with his custom farming and mechanical repairs for the next 10 years.

John was a member of Twin Falls Reformed Church in Twin Falls, Idaho, for 40 years, where he served in several capacities in the church. John and Thana went on many out-of-state mission trips. John volunteered at the Mustard Seed Thrift store, serving on the board and performing all needed repairs. He transported clients for the Office on Aging for 11 years.

John loved to go hunting, fishing, and camping with his boys and many friends in his lifetime. John and Thana also loved to take cruises and travel south for the winters in their retirement years. They loved spending as much time as they could with their grandchildren. He always cherished coffee time with his close friends. John loved the Lord, and as he grew older, his daily prayer was “Dear Lord, give me the strength for today, and a bright hope for tomorrow”.

John is survived by his wife, Thana; his four sons, Rob (Monica), Russ (Martha), Dan (Mickey), and Dean (Amber); eleven grandchildren, Jessica (Michael) Silva, Jacob, Matthew, Ryan, Kevin, Leah (Mike) Barker, Dana, Adrian, Benjamin, Taya and Lucas; and one great-granddaughter, Ava Lynn Silva; brothers, Adrian and Tony; sisters-in-law, Millie, Hilda, and Alice; and many more in-laws.

John was preceded in death by his parents, a granddaughter, Hannah; five brothers, Cornie, Hank, Joe, Nick, and Cal; three sisters, Pearl Segaar, Marie Brus, Johanna Hoogeveen; and many in-laws and other relatives.

Visitation will be Thursday, May 2, 2019, from 6 - 8 pm, at Farmer Funeral Chapel, 130 9th Ave N, Buhl. A private burial with the family will be Friday, May 3, 2019, at West End Cemetery in Buhl. After the burial, a memorial service will be held at the Twin Falls Reformed Church, at 11 am.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the food pantry of the Mustard Seed in Twin Falls.

Visitation will be from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 2, 2019, at Farmer Funeral Chapel in Buhl.  A memorial service with military rights will be held at the Twin Falls Reformed Church, at 11:00 a.m. Friday. May 3, 2019.  A private burial will be held before the church services.  Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on John’s memorial webpage at www.farmerfuneralchapel.com.