Obituary of Arlen Van Ravenswaay

    Arlen Eugene “Archie” Van Ravenswaay was born October 13, 1947 at Sioux Center, IA to Richard Gene and Ruth Marie (Lammers) Van Ravenswaay. He spent his youth in rural Ireton, IA and attended school at nearby Sioux Center, graduating with the class of 1965. Following high school graduation, Archie worked with Destigter Bros. Construction out of Sioux Center.

    On April 24, 1968, he was united in marriage to Leola Faith Riemersma at the Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center. The couple lived in Colorado Springs, CO for one year while Archie was in the Army National Guard. While serving his country during the Vietnam War, he received a Purple Heart. Following his honorable discharge, they returned to Sioux Center and Archie found employment in the transportation division of AMPI out of Sanborn, IA, a position he held for the next 17 years. In 1984, they left Sioux Center and moved to the town of Sanborn where they raised their four children: Pamela, Mark, Tricia, and Michael. Archie began working as a mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service in 1988, retiring in 2007.

    Archie loved anything to do with being outdoors, and now he had the time to do it all – hunting, fishing, boating, and camping. He also enjoyed repairing bicycles, bowling or honing his marksmanship skill with trapshooting. After Leola’s death in 2012, Archie found a great companion in Vicki Potter whom he married on June 29, 2018. Archie especially looked forward to time spent with his children and grandchildren. He was a member of the First Reformed Church at Sanborn and the Sanborn American Legion, Post #318.

    On Wednesday, January 23, 2019, Archie passed from this life at the age of 71 years. Preceding him in death were his parents; his first wife, Leola; and his son, Mark in 2017.

    Those left to keep his memory in their hearts are his wife, Vicki of Sanborn, IA; his children: Pamela (Brian) Hamberger of Yankton, SD – Brynlyn and Emma, Mark’s children: Isabel and Isaac of Littleton, CO; Tricia (Jake) Elgersma of Sanborn, IA – Trinity, Jasmine, Jordan, Graham, Ean, and Evan, Michael (Crystal) Van Ravenswaay of Sanborn, IA – Layne, Piper, Cameryn, Sutton, and Sawyer; stepchild, Brandon (Rachel) Krukow of Boyden, IA – Taylor and Josie; brother, Ron (Wanda) Van Ravenswaay; sisters: Kathy Petersen, and Lorraine (Dave) Kruse; brothers-in-law: Randy (Nancy) Riemersma, Larry (Ruth) Riemersma, and Hal (Judy) Riemersma; sister-in-law, Beth (Gary) Maas; other relatives and friends.