George H. De Graaf
August 21, 2012
George H. De Graaf was born George Henry Mendel on June 4, 1939 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the second son of Henry and Cynthia Mendel. When George was 2 years old, his father died. His mother took him to Chicago to live with relatives, and at age 9 he became a resident of Glenwood School for Boys in Illinois. When George was 11, Larry and Theresa De Graaf took him into their home as a foster son to join their family. George accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior while living with the De Graafs and when he was 18, he officially changed his last name to De Graaf. George graduated from Leyden Community High School in Franklin Park, Illinois in 1957.
While attending Westminster Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Westchester, Illinois, George met Gail Johnson. Gail was attending Wheaton College, and George would drive her back and forth to school. They became good friends and fell in love. They were married on July 7, 1960 in Denver, Colorado.
George attended the College of DuPage and Elmhurst College in Illinois for business management. He worked as an apprentice in the ink division at Photopress, then worked at Veritone, and was later hired by SunChemical Corporation until his retirement in 1999. George began with SunChemical as a technical representative, and in August 1980 he moved his family to West Des Moines, Iowa, where he was a branch manager and later promoted to executive sales, covering the state of Iowa. George loved to golf, and he took his clients (and Gail) golfing whenever he could. After retirement from SunChemical, he worked at Osco Drug and at Walgreens in the photo department in West Des Moines. Photography was one of George’s favorite hobbies.
He served faithfully in the church as a Sunday school teacher for grade school boys, as an ordained Deacon, and later as an ordained Elder. He served at Westminster Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Des Moines Christian Reformed Church, and at Westkirk Presbyterian Church. George was also active on the Missions Committee at Westkirk and taught English as a Second Language to Bosnian refugees.
In 2009, George and Gail were able to travel to England, Scotland, and France where they celebrated at Gary and Kate’s wedding and explored Gail’s ancestral history. George also enjoyed reading, tending his roses, and bird watching. He spent time writing out his memoirs, having coffee with friends, checking-in on his neighbors, and researching his genealogy.
George was preceded in death by his parents and foster parents. He leaves behind his beloved wife Gail; sons, George (Teresa) De Graaf, Gary (Kate) De Graaf; daughters, Glenda (Charlie) Woodford, Gloria (Kurt) Huyser; brothers, John (Marian) Mendel, Bart (Marlene) De Graaf; sister, Mary (Dave) Carnduff; 9 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be directed to Westkirk Presbyterian Church in loving memory of George. Online condolences may be expressed at: www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com
Mike & Bonnie Nygren
08/23/2012
Gail and Family,
We send you all our love and our deepest sympathy. George was one very special guy and our lives were richer for having known him since his youth. Our prayers continue for you. We are confident we will see George for eternity. May God comfort all who have felt the loss of this child of God's.
John & Regi Donaldson
08/23/2012
Gail and Family; our condolences to you on the loss of George.
We will miss his smiling face and jovial nature.
I will miss him at our Friday Book Study Club, and the great insight he brought to our discussions. I always enjoyed talking with him, and learned much from our discussions.
You are in our prayers and thoughts.
Norma Mendel
08/23/2012
Although I've never met any of you personally, I have always felt that you were part of our family. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you at this sad time in your lives. May your warm memories and your faith comfort you in your loss.
Larry and Wanda bechtel
08/23/2012
Gail and family;
We are sorry for the loss of George,we will always remember him as the happy, friendly person who made us feel so welcome when we joined westkirk.
God bless
Larry and wanda
Samuel Mahaffy
08/23/2012
To Gail and the family, we send our love and prayers and best wishes in this time of loss. We commit George to our loving Saviour who he served so faithfully. I will always remember George's kind spirit, gentle laugh and care for others. Blessings, Samuel Mahaffy
Ron and Darlene Reighard
08/22/2012
Dear Gail and Family,
We are so sorry for your loss. We feel a very real loss, also. Having known George for so many years and serving together in spiritual ministry through the Church, we will miss his wonderful smile, his encouragement and kind words.
He was a great saint and served our Lord to the fullest. In the words of an old African folktale, "a person never dies as long as they are remembered". We will never forget George. We know he is in a much better place---with our Lord and Savior. And yet, we will miss him terribly.
Gail, you and George have been great friends through the years, but you have also been a wonderful example to us and others. You and George epitomize the importance of what it means to provide an exemplary Christian home for your children,
and to love the Lord with all your hearts.
May God's richest blessings give you peace in this time of sorrow.
With our Love,
Ron and Darlene
Eleanor Bauer
08/22/2012
To the Family of George DeGraaf: I was so sorry to learn of your husband, father,and grandfather's passing. I am part of the Harvest team that meets monthly for Gary and Kate and their mission work in France. Gail, I met you and George last fall at the Rick Santorum "Meet and Greet". George, (using my camera) so kindly took pictures of me with Santorum and I believe the two of you were in some photos and a video as well. Please accept my deepest sympathies as you go through this difficult time. I lost my husband in June of this year, and I know the heartache, even though we have the peace and comfort knowing we will soon meet again in Heaven.
LaVonne Hammans
08/22/2012
Dear Gail: I have thought so much of seeing you and George at the chemo clinic. You both had such happiness about you and I could see what Paul and I have--the special love of a couple enduring a trial together and trusting God. Gail, I am so sorry for your loss. My heart has been much on you and my prayers will continue to be with you. In Christ, LaVonne
Dianna Wiegert
08/22/2012
Glenda & Family, So sorry to hear of your loss. Share your memories...your loved one may be gone, but will never be forgotten. You will be in my thoughts and prayers in the days, weeks, and months to come.
Dan & Annmarie Carnduff
08/21/2012
Thoughts & prayers are with your family.
Ruth (Woodford) Sandon
08/21/2012
Glenda, I was so sorry to hear of your father's passing. My love & thoughts are with you. It is always so heart breaking to lose those we love, especially those so close to our hearts.
I read this one day and maybe it will help.
"I thought of you with love, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too. I think of you in silence, we often speak your name. All we have are memories and a picture in a frame. Your memory is a keepsake with which we will never part. God has you in His keeping, we have you in our hearts."
Ruth (Woodford) Sandon