Emily Dieleman

Emily June Dieleman, age 88, of Bella Vista, Arkansas, died Tuesday, September 17, 2019, at Mercy Medical Center in Rogers, Arkansas.  She was born December 29, 1930, in Oskaloosa, Iowa, the daughter of Henry and Nellie Langstraat.

She was an active member of the Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista, where she served more than 20 years as the church librarian and sang in the choir. She also played the organ and piano at many churches she attended. 

Emily received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Central College (Pella, Iowa) in 1972 and became a Christian School teacher.  She also taught her own children the love of travel and the importance of reading.  She enjoyed working on family genealogy. She and her husband traveled the world and usually found someone during their travels who they knew or “knew someone that knew someone they knew!”  She and her husband moved to Northwest Arkansas from Pella, Iowa, in 1994.  She was preceded in death by her parents and one sister, Agnes Van Weelden.

Emily is survived by her husband of 68 years, Bill Dieleman, of Bella Vista, Arkansas, whom she married on August 30, 1951; one son, Wendell Dieleman, of Bentonville, Arkansas; two daughters, Cyndi DeYoung, and her husband Dennis, of Franklin, Tennessee, Kristen Gandrow, and her husband Frank, of League City, Texas; two brothers, Henry Langstraat Jr., and his wife Cynthia, of Otley, Iowa, Terry Langstraat, and his wife Coral, of Melstone, Montana; one sister, Leona DeVries, of Pella, Iowa; and two granddaughters, Justine De Young, and her husband Alex Glenday, of Brooklyn, New York, and Eleanor Van Denend, and her husband Jake, of Nashville, Tennessee. 

Two celebrations of Emily’s life will be held.  Monday, September 23, at 1 PM, at the Presbyterian Church of Bella Vista, Arkansas, with Rev. Dennis Ritchie and Rev. Dr. Ronnie Prevost officiating. 

Family visitation will be Friday, September 27, 4-6 PM, at Garden Chapel Funeral Home in Pella, Iowa. A second service will be Saturday, September 28, at 10 AM, at Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Pella, Iowa.

Arrangements by Epting Funeral Home in Bella Vista and Garden Chapel Funeral Home in Pella. Condolences:  gardenchapel.com or eptingfuneralhome.webs.com.

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