William Dezeeuw Jr.

WILLIAM DEZEEUW JR. age 89, of Pipestone, Minnesota, died on Sunday, October 16, 2022 at his home in Pipestone. He was born on June 18, 1933 to William and Julia (Veldboom) DeZeeuw near Fountain Prairie Township, Minnesota. He grew up in a family with twelve siblings and attended country school just one mile from his home for eight years and would walk to school with his brothers and sisters each day. After school he was drafted into the United States Army and he served in the Korean War and spent a year and a half in Japan. In 1955, he was discharged and returned home to Aetna Township where he lived with his family. He continued to work odds and end jobs which is where he met his love, Delilah Kemnitz. The two enjoyed going to movies and roller skating. On February 15, 1959, William and Delilah married at Peace United Methodist Church in Pipestone and moved south of Pipestone where they raised four children. They started farming on the farm six miles south of Pipestone in Eden Township in Pipestone County. They had a small two bedroom house that didn’t have running water or a drain. They would have to go to the well and carry the water in and carry the slop bucket out when it got full. They had to use the outhouse for a bathroom for 2-3 years until they put the water and drain in the house. The couple farmed 160 acres and started it with a DC CASE tractor and milked 10-12 cows to sell the cream for money. About five years later they decided to sell the milk in cans. They then farrowed about 10 sows in the spring and fall. Feeding the pigs until they got to about 220 lbs and then sold them. They then bought 250 hens for eggs and bought baby chicks in the spring and raised them. In the fall they put them in the hen house to lay eggs for the year. The couple also raised roosters to butcher and eat. They lived south of Pipestone for nine years and then moved to the family farm in Altona township of Pipestone until December 1994 they moved to Pipestone and William retired in 2002. He continued to work within the community as a crossing guard for the school and military honors for the Holland Legion.

William enjoyed farming, going to church, gardening and animals, especially his love for cats. He had a love for the card club that he was a part of for 60 years. He enjoyed visiting with others at various events.

William is survived by his wife, Delilah DeZeeuw of Pipestone, Minnesota; his sons, Amos DeZeeuw of Brewster, Washington, William Andrew (Kim Gates) DeZeeuw of Pipestone, Curt DeZeeuw of Pipestone, Earl (Amy) DeZeeuw of Pipestone; grandchildren, Michael and Alicia Moulton, Scott and Bernadette DeZeeuw, Brian and Ernita DeZeeuw, Erik DeZeeuw, Cody DeZeeuw; great grandchildren, Mariah and Mikayla Moulton and Nicolette DeZeeuw; sisters, Sharon (Chuck) Bakker of Ruthton, Minnesota and Norma (Richard “Dick”) Gist of Princeton, Minnesota; and brother, Sherman (Jane) DeZeeuw of Tyler, Minnesota. He is preceeded in death by his parents, William and Julia DeZeeuw; sisters, Pauline, Phyllis, Eunice, Esther and Carol; and brothers, Henry, Stanley and Paul.