Earl Duinink

Earl Roy Duinink was born at his family farm home near Reasnor, Iowa, on January 20, 1947. He was the seventh and youngest child of Leonard and Henrietta (Beyer) Duinink.

He graduated from the eighth grade at Monroe Community Schools in 1961. Shortly after that he began working as a farm hand for several area farmers. Then in 1963, he started working as a pole barn builder at the Pella Co-op Lumberyard. Later he worked in the parts department at Ulrich Motor. Earl then had his own trucking business for several years and hauled countless loads of grain from area farms to the co-op He is also well remembered for the 23 years that he was a caretaker at the Oakwood Cemetery where he was appreciated for his diligence in keeping the grounds well mowed and trimmed. After retiring from that position, Earl continued to help locate and prepare many gravesites as well. Recently he delivered parts for Arnold Motor Supply.

Earl and Dixie Kay Steenhoek were united in marriage on July 18, 1967, at the Third Reformed Church in Pella. They were blessed with two sons, Jesse Lee in 1970, and Jayme Lane in 1975. After living 23 years in Pella, Earl and Dixie moved their family to an acreage south of Pella.

Earl enjoyed many kinds of motorized racing as a competitor in his younger years and later as a spectator, crew chief, and PR for his son, Jayme. Earl recently enjoyed a trip to Las Vegas with Jesse, Tesa, and Mike Verros to see the Hoover Dam Bridge.

Earl passed away at the Pella Hospice Comfort House on June 26, at the age of 72 years, 5 months, 6 days.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife Dixie of 51 years, their two sons, and their families. 

               Jesse and Tesa

                              Brayden, Camden, Courtney,

                               Shyann (Alaina), Gracie, Zach

               Jayme and Stacey

Of his original family, Earl leaves one sister Dora Van Wyk of Oskaloosa, two brothers and their spouses: Glen (Patty) Duinink of Monroe, and Carl (Connie) Duinink of Pella, and sister in law Marilyn (Howard) Duinink. Also, sisters-in-law and their spouses: Bonnie (Kermit) Duin of St Joe, Missouri, Jayni (Galen) Van Wyk of Pella, 13 nieces and nephews, and 20 great-nieces and nephews, as well as many friends.

Earl was preceded in death by twin grandsons Marc Earl and Terry Alvin Duinink who were born prematurely in July 1999. Also preceding him in death were his parents, his brothers Donald and Howard, and sister Bernace in infancy, parents-in-law Jaybe and Ada Steenhoek, brothers-in-law Bernard Vos and Bernard Van Wyk, a nephew Harris Van Wyk and niece Whitney Duin.

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