James Van Engelenhoven

James Lee Van Engelenhoven was born September 8, 1943, to Everett J. and Jeanette (Vander Linden) Van Engelenhoven, in Mahaska County, Iowa. He attended school in Oskaloosa and graduated Oskaloosa High School in 1961. 

On June 16, 1965, he was united in marriage to Carol Ver Meer at the First Christian Reformed Church in Oskaloosa. To this union they were blessed with a son, Jeff. He started in politics because of his father-in-law and the Rose Hill Mafia, Mack Jackson and Granvel Smith. He served on the Mahaska County Board of Supervisors from 1992 – 1998. Jim was a state representative from 1998 – 2012. He served six years in the Iowa Air National Guard. He loved farming and loved representing his constituents. Jim was a hard-worker in everything he did.

Jim was a long-time member of the Leighton Christian Reformed Church and Trinity Reformed Church.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife Carol, son Jeff of rural Collins, his brother Keith Van Engelenhoven of Ottumwa, and his brothers-in-law: Owen (Esther) Ver Meer of Leighton, and Eugene (Sandy) Ver Meer of Pella.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents Everett and Jeanette Van Engelenhoven, and his parents-in-law Anthony and Jeanette Ver Meer.

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