Cornelius Ray (Neil) De Ronde, 80, of Oskaloosa, passed away Tuesday, December 6, 2022, at Serenity House, in Oskaloosa, after a long struggle to recover from a bad fall that had taken place in July 2021.
Neil De Ronde, son of Kryn and Dorothy (Van Weelden) De Ronde, was born January 28, 1942, in Eddyville, Iowa. He was raised on his parents’ farm in East Des Moines Township, Mahaska County, Iowa. Neil was a 1959 graduate of Pella Christian High School. On March 22, 1963, he married Betty Ann Schinkel at the First Christian Reformed Church of Oskaloosa. They eventually moved to a farm on Highway 63, south of New Sharon, where they raised their four children: Kathy, Jim, Mary, and Connie.
Neil loved God, his family, the church, and his life as a farmer. The Lord put Neil to work in various roles at First Christian Reformed Church of Oskaloosa, on a number of community boards, with Habitat for Humanity, and on several trips overseas, helping to build churches in Africa and South America.
Neil is survived by his wife, Betty, and his four children, ten grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren: Kathy and Bill Gourd of Des Moines, Iowa, and their children: Asher and Rebecca; Jim and Nancy De Ronde of Mitchellville, Iowa: and their children: Ashley, Greg and Michaela De Ronde (Payton), Staci and Cody Corbitt (Gentri); Mary and Steve Edlund of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and their children: Ben and Evi; Connie and Dave Den Haan of Jenison, Michigan, and their children: Rachel and Matt Lenko (soon to be born child), and Laura and Nate DeVries, and Adam Den Haan.
Neil is also survived by his siblings Judy Hofmans of Hanford, CA; Janice (Cor) Hofmans of Hanford, CA; Aleda (Randy) Rolffs of Pella; and Dot (Duane) Bruxvoort of Pella; sisters-in-law: Delores (Gary) Keith of Oskaloosa, Linda De Ronde of Oskaloosa, and Carol and Doug Richards of Oskaloosa.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers: William De Ronde, Stephen De Ronde, and Kevin De Ronde.
The funeral service for Neil will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, December 10, 2022, at the First Christian Reformed Church, with Rev. Jon Spronk officiating. A Family Prayer Service will precede the funeral 10:15 a.m. in the fellowship hall. Burial will be in Forest Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m., Friday, at the First Christian Reformed Church; the family will greet visitors from 4-7 p.m. Donations in Neil’s honor may be made to Oskaloosa Christian Grade School. Langkamp Funeral Chapel & Crematory has been entrusted with Neil’s final arrangements. To watch the service livestreamed or at a later time, log on to https://boxcast.tv/channel/o3yvvbbrg2783ile3a6i
