Dr. Marvin De Young, 83, of Sioux Center, IA died Sunday, December 27, 2009, at Pleasant Acres Care Center in Hull.

Visitation will be held Sunday from 2-8PM, with the family present from 2-4PM at the Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center.

A prayer service for family and friends will be held Monday at 9:30AM at the First Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center followed by interment in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center.

A memorial service will be held Monday at 10:30AM at the First Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center with Rev. Carl Klompien officiating.

The De Young Family requests that memorials be directed to Dordt College c/o Dordt College Advancement Office.



Dr. Marvin De Young was born November 23, 1926, to Andrew and Gertie (Ostindie) De Young in Grand Rapids, MI. He graduated from Davis Tech High School in Grand Rapids in 1944 and earned his bachelors degree from Calvin College in 1948.

On October 7, 1948, Marv married his high school sweetheart, Letha Steensma in Grand Rapids. They were married for 52 years. Marvin worked at Calvin College until 1954. He taught at New Holland Christian High School and Southwestern Christian High School, before coming to Dordt College in 1958. Marv obtained his Masters Degree from the University of South Dakota and in 1965 he received his Doctorate in Chemistry from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. He retired from Dordt College in 1989.

Marv was a member of First Christian Reformed Church of Sioux Center. He was lover of theology and reading. He never let his diminished sight keep him from being an active and vibrant part of what was happening in the world. Most people in Sioux Center will remember him making his way around town with his beloved guide dog Ben.

In 1999, Marvin was awarded the Governor’s Volunteer Award for outstanding volunteer service to the Iowa Department for the Blind.

He is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law, Gregg and Cathy De Young of Cairo, Egypt; Paul and Donna De Young of Port St. Lucie, FL; daughters and sons-in-law, Karen and David Beilfuss of Pequannock, NJ; Florence and Kirby Hedden of Hawarden, IA, Esther and Richard Thompson of Sergeant Bluff, IA and Lois and Rick McKnight of Fountain Valley, CA; brother and sister-in-law, Nelson and Ann De Young of Wyoming, MI; sisters-in-law, Ida De Young of Hudsonville, MI, Joyce Kooistra of Byron Center, MI; brothers-in-law, Peter Steensma, Leonard Steensma and his wife Bertha, both of Grand Rapids; sister-in-law, Ruth Steensma of Grand Rapids; several grandchildren and many nephews and nieces.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Letha; infant son, Kenneth; son and daughter-in-law, Gary and Kathy; granddaughter, Sarah De Young; brother, Ed De Young; brother and sister-in-law, John and Pearl De Young; sisters and brothers-in-law, Carrie and Harry Vander Gallien, Jean and Frank Kooistra; brother-in-law, Sidney Steensma; sisters-in-law, Helene Steensma, Betty Steensma.