Joel Lee De Ronde, age 70, of Leatherwood Road, Salt Lick, Kentucky, husband of Beverly De Ronde, passed away Friday, September 23, 2022, at his home.

Born June 1, 1952, in Oskaloosa, Iowa, he was a son of Neal De Ronde and Wilma (Van Den Berg) De Ronde. He was preceded in death by his parents and two siblings, Ronald and Jane Ann, and is survived by three siblings, Robert De Ronde, Larry De Ronde, and JoAnn Fynaardt, all of Iowa.

Joel attended Pella Christian Grade School and graduated from Pella High School, where he met Beverly.  During their junior year, they started dating and following graduation were married October 1, 1971.  For two years they enjoyed farming, but decided in order to be successful, a much larger farm was required. The couple preferred the smaller size, so Joel got a job at Vermeer Mfg. where he worked in quality control for 43 years.

Following the passing of Beverly's dad in 2011, Joel insisted her mother live with them.  When she passed in 2014, Joel and Beverly moved to Kentucky and became parents to Jackson and Oreo, their beloved fur babies.  They loved the area and Joel became a "real Kentuckian."  A passionate outdoorsman, he loved gardening, growing his tomatoes and sharing his bounty, both fresh and canned, with friends.  He was well known for his Jalapeno jam and ice cream and his creative presentations were always a special treat.  Among his many favorites hobbies was woodworking.  He made beautiful harvest tables—including a special one for Beverly—decorative bird houses with stained glass windows and walking sticks.  He was a huge Green Bay Packers fan, too!  Both Joel and Beverly enjoyed their Harley motorcycle trips and snowmobiling.  Each day was lived to the fullest.

Joel was a kind and gentle guy who was there for everyone.  He was active in the Salt Lick Christian Church and his presence and many acts of kindness will be greatly missed.