Emery Anthony Verdoorn

DELAVAN May 07, 2010 EMERY A. VERDOORN EMERY A. VERDOORN, age 94, of Delavan, died Friday, May 7, 2010, at United Hospital, in Blue Earth. Memorial services will be held on Wednesday, May 12, 2010, at 11:00 AM, at Delavan United Methodist Church, with Rev. Victoria Ashley officiating. Burial will be in Hollandale Cemetery, Hollandale,MN. Visitation time will be from 4:00 to 7:00 PM Tuesday, at Patton Funeral Home in Blue Earth, and one hour prior to services at the church. Emery was born October 31, 1915, at Orange City, Iowa, the son of Arie and Agnes (VanZanten) Verdoorn. He was raised and educated in the Hollandale area and was a 1931 graduate of Albert Lea High School. He moved to Delavan in the early 1930’s where he farmed. He served in the U.S. Army during WWII with the 5th Army EVAC Hospital in North Africa and Italy. He returned home and was married to Elizabeth “Betty” Van Erkel on March 19, 1947 in Hollandale, MN. He continued to farm the Verdoorn Brothers Potato Farm in Delavan until his retirment in 1981. Emery was a longtime member of the Delavan United Methodist church where he served on the church board, was a 12 year Delavan school board member, volunteer fireman, city councilman and delivered many meals on wheels. He enjoyed playing cards with his buddies and loved to observe nature while feeding birds and raising roses. Emery is survived by his wife, Elizabeth “Betty” Verdoorn of Delavan, his daughter, Cheryl (Dr. R. Buckland "Cork") Thomas of Newburgh, Indiana his daughter, Valerie (Mark) Hooper of Fairmont, his son, Michael (Jeannette) Verdoorn of Blue Earth, his sister in law, Wava Verdoorn of Rochester, 7 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers: Arie, Henry, Cornelius, William, Marion & Richard Verdoorn, and a sister, Cornelia Miller.