Willis "Bill" Heusinkveld, age 86 of Centerville, Iowa passed away Thursday, September 15, 2011 at Centerville Nursing and Rehab in Centerville, Iowa.
Bill was born on October 11, 1924, on a farm in Sioux County in northwest Iowa, five miles from the nearest town of Hull, Iowa. It was part of a very Dutch area with two Dutch Reformed churches in the little town. He often went to church twice a day. Bill's ancestdry on both sides was Dutch.
He was part of a family of four boys and two girls. Bill's mother died when he was only six so his father had to be supervisor of the household, as well as doing the daily chores and annual crop raising. There was always plenty of work for the four boys on the 160-acre farm. The eldest daughter, Harriet, became a surrogate mother and did lots of housework.
Bill graduated from Iowa University in Ames with a degree in Electrical Engineering after two years in the U.S.Navy during World War II. He first worked for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in Casper, Wyoming. That is when Bill decided to go by the name of "Bill" instead fo Willis.
While in Wyoming he met and married Marjorie Creager, a registered nurse, who had grown up in Cody, Wyoming. Bill and Marjorie moved to Ottumwa where Bill began a 35-year engineering career with Iowa Southern Utilities. His family, including three young daughters, moved to Centerville, Iowa, in 1958 where Bill worked as Electric Distribution Engineer and later as Director of Electric and Gas Rates.
After Bill retired in 1990, he published a 325-page genealogy entitled Heusinkvelds in America. The book included many pictures and data on all of the members of the Heusinkveld family living in the United States. Bill subsequently became interested in local history and researched the 1846 Morman Trail in preparation for its 150th anniversary celebration. His research became part of the publication, Morman Trails Across Appanoose County in 1995.
Bill was elected Appanoose County Chairman of the Sesquicentennial Commission to celebrate Iowa's 150th-year anniversary of statehood. In that capacity, he authored and published This Day in History and Cemeteries of Appanoose County. He went on to publish Pioneer Stories, Towns of Appanoose County, Historic Homes of Centerville, and Civil War History of Iowa Companies. Bill also wrote the historical portion of the book Appanoose County 1904-2004, which was created to celebrate the Courthouse centennial. From July of 2002 through November 2010 he entertained readers of The Centerville Daily Iowegian with his popular weekly column exploring Appanoose County history.
Bill's interests went beyond researching local history. Bill and his wife Marjorie had a bird watching hobby for many years and traveled throughout the United States adding to their life list of birds sighted. He was chairman of the Centerville Concert Association for some years, bringing a variety of music to our community. Bill sang bass with the barbershop group "The Coal Minor Chordsmen". He avidly played postal chess for years. The Appanoose County Historical Society's annual newsletter was initiated by Bill when he served on the Board. Bill was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church as well as the Masonic Lodge.
Bill is survived by his wife, Marjorie Heusinkveld, of Centerville, Iowa; three daughters, Joyce(Daryl)Sherman of Lake Mills, Iowa, Judy(Joseph)Olsen of Independence, Iowa, and Jean Heusinkveld of Fairbands, Alaska; seven grandsons, David(Kelly)Sherman, Loren Sherman, Daniel Sherman, Saul Burger, Shane Burger, Tell(Megan)Burger, and Joel Burger; and two great-grandchildren, Isaac Sherman, and Hannah Burger; and a brother, Henry Heusinkveld of Overland Park, Kansas.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, George and Myron Heusinkveld; and two sisters, Harriet and Frances Heusinkveld.
Funeral services will be held 10 am, Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at the First Presbyterian Church in Centerville with Pastor Suzanne Gorhau officiating. Burial will follow the service in the Oakland Cemetery in Centerville. A visitation will be held at Lange Funeral Home on Monday September 19, 2011 with the family present from 6-8 pm. Memorials have been established to the First Presbyterian Church.
Bill was born on October 11, 1924, on a farm in Sioux County in northwest Iowa, five miles from the nearest town of Hull, Iowa. It was part of a very Dutch area with two Dutch Reformed churches in the little town. He often went to church twice a day. Bill's ancestdry on both sides was Dutch.
He was part of a family of four boys and two girls. Bill's mother died when he was only six so his father had to be supervisor of the household, as well as doing the daily chores and annual crop raising. There was always plenty of work for the four boys on the 160-acre farm. The eldest daughter, Harriet, became a surrogate mother and did lots of housework.
Bill graduated from Iowa University in Ames with a degree in Electrical Engineering after two years in the U.S.Navy during World War II. He first worked for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in Casper, Wyoming. That is when Bill decided to go by the name of "Bill" instead fo Willis.
While in Wyoming he met and married Marjorie Creager, a registered nurse, who had grown up in Cody, Wyoming. Bill and Marjorie moved to Ottumwa where Bill began a 35-year engineering career with Iowa Southern Utilities. His family, including three young daughters, moved to Centerville, Iowa, in 1958 where Bill worked as Electric Distribution Engineer and later as Director of Electric and Gas Rates.
After Bill retired in 1990, he published a 325-page genealogy entitled Heusinkvelds in America. The book included many pictures and data on all of the members of the Heusinkveld family living in the United States. Bill subsequently became interested in local history and researched the 1846 Morman Trail in preparation for its 150th anniversary celebration. His research became part of the publication, Morman Trails Across Appanoose County in 1995.
Bill was elected Appanoose County Chairman of the Sesquicentennial Commission to celebrate Iowa's 150th-year anniversary of statehood. In that capacity, he authored and published This Day in History and Cemeteries of Appanoose County. He went on to publish Pioneer Stories, Towns of Appanoose County, Historic Homes of Centerville, and Civil War History of Iowa Companies. Bill also wrote the historical portion of the book Appanoose County 1904-2004, which was created to celebrate the Courthouse centennial. From July of 2002 through November 2010 he entertained readers of The Centerville Daily Iowegian with his popular weekly column exploring Appanoose County history.
Bill's interests went beyond researching local history. Bill and his wife Marjorie had a bird watching hobby for many years and traveled throughout the United States adding to their life list of birds sighted. He was chairman of the Centerville Concert Association for some years, bringing a variety of music to our community. Bill sang bass with the barbershop group "The Coal Minor Chordsmen". He avidly played postal chess for years. The Appanoose County Historical Society's annual newsletter was initiated by Bill when he served on the Board. Bill was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church as well as the Masonic Lodge.
Bill is survived by his wife, Marjorie Heusinkveld, of Centerville, Iowa; three daughters, Joyce(Daryl)Sherman of Lake Mills, Iowa, Judy(Joseph)Olsen of Independence, Iowa, and Jean Heusinkveld of Fairbands, Alaska; seven grandsons, David(Kelly)Sherman, Loren Sherman, Daniel Sherman, Saul Burger, Shane Burger, Tell(Megan)Burger, and Joel Burger; and two great-grandchildren, Isaac Sherman, and Hannah Burger; and a brother, Henry Heusinkveld of Overland Park, Kansas.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, George and Myron Heusinkveld; and two sisters, Harriet and Frances Heusinkveld.
Funeral services will be held 10 am, Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at the First Presbyterian Church in Centerville with Pastor Suzanne Gorhau officiating. Burial will follow the service in the Oakland Cemetery in Centerville. A visitation will be held at Lange Funeral Home on Monday September 19, 2011 with the family present from 6-8 pm. Memorials have been established to the First Presbyterian Church.
Willis "Bill" Heusinkveld, age 86 of Centerville, Iowa passed away Thursday, September 15, 2011 at Centerville Nursing and Rehab in Centerville, Iowa.
Bill was born on October 11, 1924, on a farm in Sioux County in northwest Iowa, five miles from the nearest town of Hull, Iowa. It was part of a very Dutch area with two Dutch Reformed churches in the little town. He often went to church twice a day. Bill's ancestdry on both sides was Dutch.
He was part of a family of four boys and two girls. Bill's mother died when he was only six so his father had to be supervisor of the household, as well as doing the daily chores and annual crop raising. There was always plenty of work for the four boys on the 160-acre farm. The eldest daughter, Harriet, became a surrogate mother and did lots of housework.
Bill graduated from Iowa University in Ames with a degree in Electrical Engineering after two years in the U.S.Navy during World War II. He first worked for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in Casper, Wyoming. That is when Bill decided to go by the name of "Bill" instead fo Willis.
While in Wyoming he met and married Marjorie Creager, a registered nurse, who had grown up in Cody, Wyoming. Bill and Marjorie moved to Ottumwa where Bill began a 35-year engineering career with Iowa Southern Utilities. His family, including three young daughters, moved to Centerville, Iowa, in 1958 where Bill worked as Electric Distribution Engineer and later as Director of Electric and Gas Rates.
After Bill retired in 1990, he published a 325-page genealogy entitled Heusinkvelds in America. The book included many pictures and data on all of the members of the Heusinkveld family living in the United States. Bill subsequently became interested in local history and researched the 1846 Morman Trail in preparation for its 150th anniversary celebration. His research became part of the publication, Morman Trails Across Appanoose County in 1995.
Bill was elected Appanoose County Chairman of the Sesquicentennial Commission to celebrate Iowa's 150th-year anniversary of statehood. In that capacity, he authored and published This Day in History and Cemeteries of Appanoose County. He went on to publish Pioneer Stories, Towns of Appanoose County, Historic Homes of Centerville, and Civil War History of Iowa Companies. Bill also wrote the historical portion of the book Appanoose County 1904-2004, which was created to celebrate the Courthouse centennial. From July of 2002 through November 2010 he entertained readers of The Centerville Daily Iowegian with his popular weekly column exploring Appanoose County history.
Bill's interests went beyond researching local history. Bill and his wife Marjorie had a bird watching hobby for many years and traveled throughout the United States adding to their life list of birds sighted. He was chairman of the Centerville Concert Association for some years, bringing a variety of music to our community. Bill sang bass with the barbershop group "The Coal Minor Chordsmen". He avidly played postal chess for years. The Appanoose County Historical Society's annual newsletter was initiated by Bill when he served on the Board. Bill was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church as well as the Masonic Lodge.
Bill is survived by his wife, Marjorie Heusinkveld, of Centerville, Iowa; three daughters, Joyce(Daryl)Sherman of Lake Mills, Iowa, Judy(Joseph)Olsen of Independence, Iowa, and Jean Heusinkveld of Fairbands, Alaska; seven grandsons, David(Kelly)Sherman, Loren Sherman, Daniel Sherman, Saul Burger, Shane Burger, Tell(Megan)Burger, and Joel Burger; and two great-grandchildren, Isaac Sherman, and Hannah Burger; and a brother, Henry Heusinkveld of Overland Park, Kansas.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, George and Myron Heusinkveld; and two sisters, Harriet and Frances Heusinkveld.
Funeral services will be held 10 am, Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at the First Presbyterian Church in Centerville with Pastor Suzanne Gorhau officiating. Burial will follow the service in the Oakland Cemetery in Centerville. A visitation will be held at Lange Funeral Home on Monday September 19, 2011 with the family present from 6-8 pm. Memorials have been established to the First Presbyterian Church.
Bill was born on October 11, 1924, on a farm in Sioux County in northwest Iowa, five miles from the nearest town of Hull, Iowa. It was part of a very Dutch area with two Dutch Reformed churches in the little town. He often went to church twice a day. Bill's ancestdry on both sides was Dutch.
He was part of a family of four boys and two girls. Bill's mother died when he was only six so his father had to be supervisor of the household, as well as doing the daily chores and annual crop raising. There was always plenty of work for the four boys on the 160-acre farm. The eldest daughter, Harriet, became a surrogate mother and did lots of housework.
Bill graduated from Iowa University in Ames with a degree in Electrical Engineering after two years in the U.S.Navy during World War II. He first worked for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in Casper, Wyoming. That is when Bill decided to go by the name of "Bill" instead fo Willis.
While in Wyoming he met and married Marjorie Creager, a registered nurse, who had grown up in Cody, Wyoming. Bill and Marjorie moved to Ottumwa where Bill began a 35-year engineering career with Iowa Southern Utilities. His family, including three young daughters, moved to Centerville, Iowa, in 1958 where Bill worked as Electric Distribution Engineer and later as Director of Electric and Gas Rates.
After Bill retired in 1990, he published a 325-page genealogy entitled Heusinkvelds in America. The book included many pictures and data on all of the members of the Heusinkveld family living in the United States. Bill subsequently became interested in local history and researched the 1846 Morman Trail in preparation for its 150th anniversary celebration. His research became part of the publication, Morman Trails Across Appanoose County in 1995.
Bill was elected Appanoose County Chairman of the Sesquicentennial Commission to celebrate Iowa's 150th-year anniversary of statehood. In that capacity, he authored and published This Day in History and Cemeteries of Appanoose County. He went on to publish Pioneer Stories, Towns of Appanoose County, Historic Homes of Centerville, and Civil War History of Iowa Companies. Bill also wrote the historical portion of the book Appanoose County 1904-2004, which was created to celebrate the Courthouse centennial. From July of 2002 through November 2010 he entertained readers of The Centerville Daily Iowegian with his popular weekly column exploring Appanoose County history.
Bill's interests went beyond researching local history. Bill and his wife Marjorie had a bird watching hobby for many years and traveled throughout the United States adding to their life list of birds sighted. He was chairman of the Centerville Concert Association for some years, bringing a variety of music to our community. Bill sang bass with the barbershop group "The Coal Minor Chordsmen". He avidly played postal chess for years. The Appanoose County Historical Society's annual newsletter was initiated by Bill when he served on the Board. Bill was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church as well as the Masonic Lodge.
Bill is survived by his wife, Marjorie Heusinkveld, of Centerville, Iowa; three daughters, Joyce(Daryl)Sherman of Lake Mills, Iowa, Judy(Joseph)Olsen of Independence, Iowa, and Jean Heusinkveld of Fairbands, Alaska; seven grandsons, David(Kelly)Sherman, Loren Sherman, Daniel Sherman, Saul Burger, Shane Burger, Tell(Megan)Burger, and Joel Burger; and two great-grandchildren, Isaac Sherman, and Hannah Burger; and a brother, Henry Heusinkveld of Overland Park, Kansas.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, George and Myron Heusinkveld; and two sisters, Harriet and Frances Heusinkveld.
Funeral services will be held 10 am, Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at the First Presbyterian Church in Centerville with Pastor Suzanne Gorhau officiating. Burial will follow the service in the Oakland Cemetery in Centerville. A visitation will be held at Lange Funeral Home on Monday September 19, 2011 with the family present from 6-8 pm. Memorials have been established to the First Presbyterian Church.
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