Willem Hendrik Johannes “Bill” Droppert, 97, of Hudson, died Monday, Sept. 24, 2018, at Sunrise Care Center, Traer. Funeral services were at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, at the Community Church of Hudson. Burial was in the Hudson Cemetery.
Willem Hendrik Johannes “Bill” Droppert was born Sept. 22, 1921, in Pijnacker, The Netherlands, to Gerardus and Geertruida Neeltje (Van Schaick) Droppert. He attended grade school through the eighth grade. He started working full-time with his father and brothers in the greenhouses.
Jan. 26, 1951, he married Cornelia “Corrie” Francosia Smits in Sliedrecht, The Netherlands. In April 1951, they immigrated to the United States starting out in Harrison, SD. They farmed in New Hartford, Reinbeck, and in 1957 they moved to their current farm by Hudson. Bill was a member and served on the consistory at Lincoln Center Christian Reformed Church. He enjoyed farming, going to the sales barn, and gardening. Many people benefited from his green thumb and the bounty it produced. Bill enjoyed family times and playing Skipbo games with the grandkids.
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife, Corrie; daughters, Trudy (Larry) Eggink of Pella and Carol (Glenn) Johnson of Parkersburg; sons, Gerald (Elaine) Droppert of Lynnville and Ron (Vicky) Droppert of Hudson; 10 grandchildren: Linda (Randy) Berends, Justin (Heather) Droppert, Rachel (Anthony) Drost, Jennifer (Steve) Long, Carrie (Ryan) Mortvedt, Caleb (Jen) Eggink, Jessica Droppert, Drew Johnson, Ross (Eve) Droppert, and Katie Droppert; 17 great-grandchildren: Abby, Cora, Sophie, and Violet Berends; Nash, Toby, and Faith Droppert; Aidan, and Mason Drost; Liam, Cara, and Alex Long; Dayton and Brock Mortvedt; Preston and Owen Eggink; and Adalyn Williams. He is also survived by his siblings: Trudy, Henk (Tiny), George (Tiny) Droppert, all of The Netherlands, and Dick (Corrie) Droppert of Australia; sisters-in-law and brother-in-law, Jopie Droppert, Co Droppert, and Jannie Smits, all of The Netherlands, and Tina Bons and Bill (Ita) Smits of Australia.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Herman, Gerard, and Henk Droppert (who died as a child); sisters and brothers-in-law, Pie and Jan Van Der Vlies and Piet Smits, of The Netherlands, and Joan and Louis Noordenne and Theo Bons, all of Australia.
