Emery Verdoorn, 94
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Emery Verdoorn, 94, of Delavan, died Friday, May 7, 2010, at United Hospital in Blue Earth. Memorial service will be held on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Delavan United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Victoria Ashley officiating. Burial will be in Hollandale Cemetery, Hollandale. Visitation time will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, at Patton Funeral Home in Blue Earth, and one hour prior to services at the church. Web tributes may be left at www.spencerowen.com.
Emery was born Oct. 31, 1915, at Orange City, Iowa, the son of Arie and Agnes (VanZanten) Verdoorn. He was raised and educated in the Hollandale area and was a 1931 graduate of Albert Lea High School. He moved to Delavan in the early 1930s where he farmed. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II with the 5th Army EVAC Hospital in North Africa and Italy. He returned home and was married to Elizabeth “Betty” Van Erkel on March 19, 1947, in Hollandale. He continued to farm the Verdoorn Brothers Potato Farm in Delavan until his retirement in 1981. Emery was a longtime member of the Delavan United Methodist Church where he served on the church board, was a 12-year Delavan school board member, volunteer fireman, city councilman and delivered many meals on wheels. He enjoyed playing cards with his buddies and loved to observe nature while feeding birds and raising roses.
Emery is survived by his wife, Elizabeth “Betty” Verdoorn of Delavan; daughter, Cheryl (Dr. R. Buckland “Cork”) Thomas of Newburgh, Ind.; daughter, Valerie (Mark) Hooper of Fairmont, son, Michael (Jeannette) Verdoorn of Blue Earth; sister-in-law, Wava Verdoorn of Rochester; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers: Arie, Henry, Cornelius, William, Marion and Richard Verdoorn; and a sister, Cornelia Miller.