Obituary of Wilfred Wagenaar

Wiebe “Wilfred/Bill” Wagenaar, age 83, died peacefully at the VA Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD, on Sunday evening, July 17, 2011, surrounded by his wife, Priscilla, and several of his children. Wilfred was the seventh of eight children born to Hendrik and Symke (Halma) Wagenaar, the second of their last three children to be born in the United States and not in Friesland, the Netherlands. Bill lived almost all of his life in northwest Iowa, attending the Archer School and later a country school and only leaving the area to serve in the military. After returning from his military commitment, Bill met, dated, and eventually married Priscilla (Bootsma) on May 10, 1951, and they recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Bill and Priscilla raised eight children together: Paul of Ferndale, WA; JoAnna of Lynden, WA; Glenice, Sharon (Dennis Bomgaars), Mark (LuAnn) of Lynden, WA; Donna (Phil Spoelstra)of Lynden, WA; John (Lynae) of Alton, IA; and Dean (Glenda) of Sunnyside, WA. For many of the early years of their marriage, Bill & Priscilla operated a farm and raised their children northeast of Sheldon. However, in the mid-1980’s, Bill purchased a building and grain bin-moving business and continued to work at this vocation until the last couple of years. Bill, an avid conversationalist, absolutely loved to both share and listen to stories about life and work with anyone he encountered, including many of the people he met and befriended at both local and distant auctions. A special treat was when he could dialogue with others speaking in the Frisian and/or Dutch language(s) which he also learned to read and write. Another gift Bill possessed was his ability to fabricate/fix various models of engines and machinery. Additionally, Bill was enamored and fascinated with the great Midwestern prairie-its flora, fauna, history, weather, and folklore. Throughout his adult life, Bill was always a faithful member of the Sheldon First Christian Reformed Church. This commitment stemmed from his belief that he was God’s child and needed to live in obedience to his creator and included faithful attendance and serving on the church’s council several times. Bill believed very strongly that “he was not his own but belonged both body and soul to his faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.” Bill is preceded in death by three brothers, Mient, James, and Mike; two sisters, Jenny Wagenaar and Agnes Vander Griend; two daughters, Glenice and Sharon (Bomgaars), and one son-in-law, Dennis Bomgaars. He is survived by his wife, Priscilla, four sons, two daughters, 20 grandchildren, five step-grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, six step-great grandchildren; two brothers, Sid Wagenaar, and, Jake (Johanna) Wagenaar; one brother-in-law, Art Vander Griend, one sister-in-law, Mabel Wagenaar, and a daughter-in-law, Linda Bomgaars. As a committed husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, he is greatly missed and will be dearly remembered for the lives he so wonderfully impacted. In loving memory of Wilfred Wagenaar Born ~ September 22, 1927 Died ~ July 17, 2011 Age ~ 83 years 9 months 15 days Funeral service 10:30 a.m. ~ Saturday, July 23, 2011 First Christian Reformed Church Sheldon, Iowa Clergy ~ Rev. Carl Klompien Organist ~ Alvina Krikke Congregational Singing “Great is Thy Faithfulness” p. 408 “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” p. 436 “When Peace Like a River” p. 445 “My Jesus, I Love Thee” p. 440 “By the Sea of Crystal” p. 469 Pallbearers Paul Wagenaar Mark Wagenaar John Wagenaar Dean Wagenaar Philip Spoelstra Micah Bomgaars Joel Bomgaars Trevor Wagenaar Ushers John R. Kreykes Howard Krikke Burial East Lawn Cemetery Sheldon, Iowa