Gladys R. Van Zanten

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Gladys Van Zanten was born May 9, 1923 to parents John and Mattie (Sybesma) Feikema in Hawarden, Iowa. Gladys spent her childhood years on a farm which would become Oak Grove State Park and graduated from Hawarden High School in 1941. As a young woman, she worked in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Grand Rapids, Michigan and Artesia, California. She returned to South Dakota to marry Dewey Van Zanten after his discharge from military service in 1946.

Gladys married Dewey Van Zanten April 18, 1946 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where they lived for several years until they moved to a farm southwest of Colton, South Dakota. In 1951 they moved to their present farm and farmed until 1981 when they retired into Colton. In October 2005, they moved to Orchard Hills in Dell Rapids, South Dakota. In January, 2016, Gladys moved to Good Samaritan Village in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She was a member of Faith Community Church in Colton.
Gladys passed away on July 17, 2017 at Good Samaritan Village in Sioux Falls at the age of 94. Gladys was the last living relative of the original Feikema family that immigrated to the United States from Friesland.

Grateful for having shared her life are her children, Gordon (Carol) Van Zanten, Golden, Colorado; Greg (Bev) Van Zanten, Colton; twins, Marlys (Jeff) Hickox, Escondido, California; Marilyn Van Zanten, Sioux Falls; and family friend, Jolene Feenstra, Sioux Falls; ten grandchildren; nineteen great grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Alice Burgers, Irene Feikema and Barb Van Zanten, brother-in-law, Melvin Van Zanten and his wife Jan, and many other friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Dewey (November, 2011), a son, Roger, (July, 1960), sisters, Betty (Steve) Brockhouse, Catherine (Henry) DeBie, brothers, Clarence (Ann), Frank, Bernard (MaryLou), Sidney and Roland Feikema; sisters-in-law, Jeanette Van Zanten, Nellie (John) Burgers and brothers-in-law, Walt Burgers and J.W. Van Zanten.

Funeral services will begin at 9:30 AM Saturday, July 22, 2017 at Faith Community Church, Colton. Burial will be in the Colton Cemetery. Visitation with the family present will be Friday from 5-7:00 PM at the Minnehaha Funeral Chapel, Colton.
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