Surrounded by his family, Leland E. Fynaardt, 85, of Sully, passed away Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019, at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines.
Funeral services were held Thursday, Aug. 8, at 10:30 a.m. at Sully Christian Reformed Church. Burial was in Sully Cemetery.
The family prefers memorial contributions be made to Sully Christian School.
Leland Eugene Fynaardt, son of Tunis and Jacoba “Cobie” Rozenboom Fynaardt, was born Feb. 21, 1934, in Mahaska County at the home of his parents. He and his identical twin brother, Leo, were the first born. They lived on a farm south of Oskaloosa and attended a country school until the sixth grade. Leland began the seventh grade at Oskaloosa Christian School and later that year they moved to a farm north of New Sharon, finishing his elementary education at Peoria Christian Grade School graduating from the eighth grade. He then attended New Sharon High School (North Mahaska) for a short period of time. Leland was baptized in the Oskaloosa Christian Reformed Church and made his profession of faith at the Peoria Christian Reformed Church on May 30, 1954.
May 5, 1955, he was united in marriage with Edna Geraldine Engelhoven at Central Reformed Church in Oskaloosa. They started their married life together on a farm northwest of Searsboro. To this union five children were born: Gary Eugene, Glen Allen, Stanley Ray, Alice Jean and Retha June. He and Edna lived and worked on this farm for over 52 years, until September 2007 when a tornado struck the farm and they moved to his present home in Sully. Leland was very active in the Sully Christian Reformed Church as an elder, deacon, and Cadet leader. He served on the board of Poweshiek County Farm Bureau, Poweshiek County Water Association, and Poweshiek County Health Department. He and Edna enjoyed traveling to the Annual Farm Bureau Conventions. He also took part in a Farm Bureau exchange program with farmers in Hungary. He enjoyed volunteering at Nelson Pioneer Farm with the crop planting and harvests and recently helped restore an old sawmill to full use. His most recent project was building a horseless carriage. He was happy to offer friends and neighbors rides around Sully and in the areas’ Fourth of July parades.
Leland is survived by five children and their spouses: Gary (JoAnn) Fynaardt of Searsboro, Glen (Sandy) Fynaardt of New Sharon, Stan (Cheryl) Fynaardt of Pella, Alice Fynaardt of Des Moines, Retha (Ray) Haas of Coralville; 11 grandchildren; 28 great-grand-children; siblings: Kenneth and Marge Fynaardt of Pella, Carolyn and Bill Van Zee-Heethuis of Caledonia, MI, Carol Fynaardt of Pella, and Dona Fynaardt of Pella; a sister-in-law, Shirley (Jerry) Bruxvoort of Oskaloosa; and a brother-in-law, Harold Vogelaar of Arizona.
Leland was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Edna; a grandson, Brian Fynaardt; brothers, Leo Fynaardt and Melvin Fynaardt; brother-in-law, Allen Van Zee; sisters-in-law and brothers in-law: Laura (George) Slagter, Neva Vogelaar, Virgil (Jeannette) Engelhoven, Harley (Ann) Engelhoven; and parents-in-law, John and Engelene (De Kock) Engelhoven.
