Obituary of John Gordon Post

    John Gordon Post was born on August 9, 1932, the middle child of seven children born to Gerrit and Kate (Van Oort) Post, in Sioux County near Middleburg, Iowa. He spent his youth in rural Sioux and O’Brien Counties, attending school in Hartley, Iowa. John graduated from Hartley High School in 1950.

    Following high school, John served his country with the United States Coast Guard from January 19, 1952, until January 18, 1955. During his time on active duty, he completed Engineman School at Groton, Connecticut. John served on a Coast Guard Cutter protecting the United States both here and abroad. During the last years of his service, John was a Lighthouse Keeper of the North Head Lighthouse at Ilwaco, Washington, where the Columbia River joins the Pacific Ocean. He was honorably discharged from Active Service in 1955 as an Engineman, Second Class, USCGR-R.

    During one of John’s leaves from the service, he and Evelyn Elizabeth Vierhout were engaged, and two years later married on May 20, 1954, at the First Reformed Church in Sanborn, Iowa. Evelyn joined John as a Keeper of the North Head Lighthouse for John’s last year of Service. The couple returned to the Midwest and began farming near Hartley, Iowa. They later moved to a farm near Paullina, Iowa, to farm and raise their three children, Gordon, Iris, and Linda. John and Evelyn sold the farm and moved to Primghar in 1985. John began driving a truck for Van Wyk, Inc. in Sheldon, Iowa until his retirement at age 76, in 2007. During the years that John worked as a truck driver, they lived in Primghar from 1985 to 2000, Creston, Iowa from 2001 to 2006, and thereafter moving in 2007 to Sanborn. John worked for Van Wyk, Inc for many years, driving an 18-wheeler from coast to coast-allowing him to earn a living while enjoying independence, and love of travel. As a modern-day cowboy, “riding” the range of roads of this country, he visited every part of our beautiful country and best of all to him, met people from all over the world.

    John’s many loves, other than Evelyn, or Effie, as he lovingly called her, included fishing, camping, traveling, and visiting family and friends. He was a member of the American Reformed Church of Primghar where he served as an Elder and Deacon, the American Legion, and the First Reformed Church of Sanborn.

    On Saturday, March 22, 2025, John died at the age of 92 years. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers: Harvey Post and LeRoy Post; three sisters: Gladys Prins, Jeanne Olhausen, Irma Jacobsma; and a stillborn sister, Beverly Post. Also, preceding John in death, were two beloved great-great-grandchildren, Jayla McGhee and Ziaire Edwards.

    John’s large family, mourning his death, and celebrating his long life, are his life partner and wife of more than 70 years, Evelyn of Sanborn; his children: Gordon Lee (Beverley) Post of Creston, Iris “Jeanie” Post (Roger Scholten) of Des Moines, and Linda “Lou” Swalley of Lenexa, Kansas; eight grandchildren; fifteen great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchildren; his sister, Glenda Schroeder; sisters-in-law, Penny Post and Charlotte Vierhout; as well as many other beloved nephews, nieces, family and friends.