Obituary of John H. Olthoff

Reverend John Olthoff, 95 of Iowa City, formerly of Oostburg, WI died Thursday, October 1, 2009, in Iowa City. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, October 5, 2009, at the Oostburg Christian Reformed Church in Oostburg with Dr. Thomas Wolthuis officiating. Burial will be at the Hartman Cemetery in Oostburg. Visitation will be from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at the church and from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Monday morning prior to the service. Memorial donations may be made in his memory to Sheboygan County Christian High School or CRWRC (Christian Reformed World Relief Committee). Online condolences may be sent for his family through the web @ www.gayandciha.com. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service of Iowa City, IA is caring for John’s family and his services. (1-866-338-1132) Reverend John Olthoff was born August 23, 1914, served God faithfully with insight, kindness, humor, questions and listening. John grew up in the Roseland area of Chicago, Illinois. He worked parking cars during the depression to support his family and later went to Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI. Before retiring, he served as pastor in Christian Reformed churches in Comstock, MI; Wellsburg and Oskaloosa, IA; and Oostburg, WI. After retiring in 1979, he served churches of several denominations in Flanders Valley, NJ; Terra Haute, IN; Panama City, FL; Lethbridge, Alberta Canada; Barstow, CA; Stephensville, TX; Cedar, IA; Sully, IA; Chino, CA and Apple Valley, CA. He has most recently lived in Iowa City. He and Sara loved to travel. John especially enjoyed being a chaplain on a cruise in the Caribbean and an inland waterway cruise in Alaska. He was a lifelong fan of interesting lights, noises, cars and baseball. He loved music, both singing and playing the piano and organ. He was an excellent pastor in the churches in which he served. He is well remembered for his “pointing finger”, reminding all that God’s love is applied to “you, and you, and you….”. His prayers reminded us that we are an “asking people” and this was a good thing to be. His friends and family recall him as praying, praising, patient, psalm-oriented and people focused. His family includes his son and daughter-in-law, Harry and Nancy (Wolthuis) Olthoff of Iowa City, IA; daughter, Mary DePagter of Oostburg, WI; granddaughter, Sarah Olthoff and Rori Rourk of Richmond, VA; grandsons, Aaron and Paul DePagter of Sheboygan, WI; Larry Olthoff of Reed City, MI; and great-grandson, Blake. In 1996 he was preceded in death by his loving wife of 52 years, Sara Sophia, and grandson, Timothy Jon Olthoff. “The beauty of scripture is the joy of the empty tomb”. This was the focus of his lifelong message to others.