Maynard De Vries

The service will be livestreamed at 11:00 am, Friday, November 27, on the Garden Chapel Facebook page.  Friends are family are invited to join the family in procession from the funeral home to Evergreen Cemetery at 11:15. The procession will leave from the north parking lot of the funeral home right after the funeral and friends may join the family at the graveside. 

Maynard De Vries was born February 28, 1932, to Jacob and Jeanette (Boertje) De Vries. He grew up in the Pella and Oskaloosa areas, and attended school through eighth grade. Maynard enlisted in the U.S. Navy  in 1951, along with his brother. He served in the Korean War and was honorably discharged in 1954.

Maynard met Dorothy “Dot” De Cook in May of 1955, while she and a friend were jumping over parking meters. They were united in marriage on February 14, 1956, at the Third Reformed Church. To this union they were blessed with four children: Mark, Mary, Matt and Martha.

Maynard was a lineman for the City of Pella for 38 years, and farmed on the side. He was a strong man of faith and a founding member of Trinity Reformed Church where he served in many roles including as a deacon and singing in the choir for 40 years. Maynard enjoyed fishing and mowing his yard, and  kept busy preparing wood for his wood stove.

Maynard’s life revolved around his family. He had a life-long love-affair with his wife Dot, together they adopted four children to build a family of love. His family knows him as a very strong man. No one compares to him in the strength of patience, strength of understanding, strength of forgiveness, strength of faith, physical strength and strength of unconditional love. He raised his children to be strong of faith and humble by nature.

Those left to cherish his memory are his wife Dot and their family:

(The late) Mark and Laura De Vries of Pelahatchie, Mississippi

Mary and Jim Dowie of Pella

               Jenny and Jared Birath

                               Ellie, Nora

               Matt and Lauren Dowie

                               Hudson, Carter

Matt and Kelly De Vries of Pella

Martha and Tim Verhey of Hendersonville, Tennessee

               Lindsey and Scott Jaggers

                               Raelee Doese

               Aletta Verhey (Matt Booe)

               Lydia Verhey (Parker Glasgow)

He is also survived by his siblings: Harriet Van Zante,  Carolyn (Harold) Vos, Anna Mae Rouw, all of Pella, and Ray (Carol) De Vries of St. Louis, Missouri; his siblings-in-law: Ruth De Cook of Des Moines, and Mark (Kay) De Cook of Pella.  

Maynard was preceded in death by his parents, his son Mark in March 2020, his great grandson Avery Mayn Doese, his parents-in-law John O. and Aletta De Cook, his siblings and siblings-in-law: Bernie (Dody) De Vries, James (Connie) De Vries, Albert Rouw, Arvin De Cook, and Wilbur Van Zante.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.