Obituary of Jacob John De Ryke

JJ "Jake" De Ryke age 92 of Iowa City completed his earthbound faith journey and began his eternal sojourn on January 12, 2020. Jacob John was born in Sioux Center, Iowa on November 13, 1927,the only child of John and Henrietta (Mol) De Ryke, and from age 7 was raised by his widowed mother. He graduated from Sioux Center High in May,1945 and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army, fully expecting to be part of the invasion of Japan, which fortunately proved to be unnecessary. His two years of honorable service included a six month tour of duty in the Panama Canal Zone. Following discharge he enrolled in the University of Iowa, receiving a Bachelor's degree in 1950, and,after graduate study in social work, law,and sociology, a Master's degree in 1954. In 1976, with a concentration on Organization Analysis, he received his Ph. D.in Sociology from the University of Iowa. JJ and Sheldon native "Toni" Blankers, a 1954 graduate of the University of Iowa School of Nursing, were married at First Presbyterian (''Old Brick'') in Iowa City on October 8, 1955; a strong, loving partnership which continued for more than 61 years until her death in May 2017. JJ's challenging social service career began by initiating social services and professional counseling at the Iowa Boys Training School where he subsequently served as Assistant Superintendent for several years. He then spent several years as Administrative Assistant to the superintendent at a private residential facility for "pre-delinquent" boys in Missouri. A long held interest in overseas mission was realized by his selection as the first administratively trained and experienced Superintendent of a Christian Children's Fund home in Hong Kong where 175 staff, 64 cottages and an on-campus school provided a home and K-12 education for more than 800 Chinese refugee children. JJ, Toni, and pre-school age son, Craig, born in Missouri, lived on campus in a relatively inaccessible part of the New Territories, immersed in Chinese culture and faced with both the need and the opportunity to learn Cantonese. Following a successful, two and half year term they returned to the United States, visiting the "Holy Land" and several European countries en route. JJ then spent several years in graduate study at the University of Iowa and doing child care agency consulting and troubleshooting. Daughter Heidi was born during this time. JJ then rejoined Christian Children's Fund (CCF) at their request and from his base in the Netherlands, where the family lived for two years; JJ travelled providing program evaluation and development services for CCF affiliated child care programs in a number of southern European, eastern Mediterranean, and ten African countries. In Africa the focus was on evaluation of the feasibility of program expansion and the successful negotiation for the establishment of a still-functioning field office in Nairobi. Following successful completion of this two year assignment, JJ returned to stateside employment. After resigning from an administrative position with a grant-funded agency providing services to developmentally disabled in South Dakota, due to overwhelming internal and external agency challenges, he found himself in an area devoid of professional opportunities, and with a variety of family considerations discouraging moving. Remaining in place meant easy contact with JJ's and Toni's aging parents and other family members in northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota, and school continuity for Craig and Heidi. Family vacations in the Pacific Northwest, with visits at Yellowstone and Glacier parks en route, were also enjoyed during this time. An earlier boundary- extending experience was living for two years in the family's country of origin, learning Dutch, attending an International School (Craig),a Dutch pre-school (Heidi),getting acquainted with Dutch relatives, and enjoying a family vacation in the Lake District in England and another on the French Riviera. Drawing on knowledge and skills acquired during vacation employment, he began a residential remodeling and repair business emphasizing quality, affordable room additions, kitchen and bath re-dos, as well as including interior and exterior painting, roofing, etc. He continued this activity after returning to Iowa City in 1987, gradually tapering down to full retirement in his mid-eighties. During his moves he expressed and re-enforced his ecumenical outlook, actively participating in a variety of Christian faith communities. In Iowa City he was a long time member of First Presbyterian Church, continuously from 1948 to 1955, intermittently from 1955 to 1976 and continuously since 1987. He participated in a number of study and action groups: at age 79 he was a lead member of a rehab group that worked in New Orleans after Katrina; he volunteered with the homeless overflow project; he worked at Free Lunch; he served as liaison to Habitat for Humanity where he worked on multiple builds; he was a member of the 175th Anniversary Celebration committee; and most recently he was a member of the Guiding Board working with the Congolese church that shares First Presbyterian Church's facilities. JJ’s family includes his daughter, Heidi Smith (Brian) of Omaha, NE; son, Craig (Lori) De Ryke and grandson Cley (Amanda) De Ryke and their children Wyatt and Maylee; granddaughter Kelsey (Nick) German and their son Levi; all in the Sioux Falls, S.D. area; and grandson Gerrit (Brittany) De Ryke and their son Carter in suburban Minneapolis. Special additional family: Hoang and Sima Huynh and their daughters Anjali, Mallika, and Shefali. Sisters-in-law, Harriet Van Veldhuizen, Sanborn, IA.; Evelyn Blankers, of Minnesota and Karen Holst Florida. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Toni; and siblings-in-law, Ivan Van Veldhuizen, John and Helen Blankers and Mary and Paul Blankers. Funeral services will be held at 11am, Monday, January 20, 2020 at the First Reformed Church in Sanborn, Iowa where there will be a period of visitation one hour prior to the services and the luncheon immediately following the services. Burial will be at the East Lawn Cemetery in Sheldon later that day where Military Honors will be provided. To share a thought, memory or condolence with his family please visit the funeral home website @ www.gayandciha.com.